


In Any Galaxy

by milesofblue



Series: The Padfoot & Moony Chronicles [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Clumsy Remus, Crossover, Danger, Dreams vs. Reality, Drinking, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, Heartache, Heavy Angst, Hot AF Sirius, I'm not giving away any surprises here!, M/M, Meaningful sex, Modern Day, Outer Space, Slow Burn, Smoking, Snogging, Stormtroopers and Jedi, The Empire and the Republic, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-07
Updated: 2020-04-07
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:40:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 40,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23420326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/milesofblue/pseuds/milesofblue
Summary: That one time Moony and Padfoot found themselves in a galaxy far, far away...⭐️⭐️⭐️ Adventures, angst, unexpected romance, Stormtroopers and Jedi—this story is full of surprises and lots of heart!
Relationships: Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Series: The Padfoot & Moony Chronicles [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1636567
Comments: 6
Kudos: 10





	1. The Unexpected

**Author's Note:**

> This story was made possible thanks to “Star Wars Wiki”! (www.starwars.fandom.com). I did make some changes to the original Star Wars sequence of events, but it’s all for the purpose of this story! I had an absolute blast writing this and loved getting to explore a whole new world with Wolfstar!🐺⭐️🐺⭐️🐺
> 
> ~Enjoy, and may the force be with you!~

***

~R~

Remus blinked his eyes open and squinted up at the ceiling.

Everything seemed blurry.

He shut his eyes again, scrunching his face, and then opened them again.

No, that didn’t help.

He’d expected to look up and see the familiar crimson and gold canopy of his Gryffindor bed stretched out above his head, as he always did, but instead, he saw something akin to a white, PVC shower wall looming over him.

His heart sputtered and he kept blinking his eyes, as if he could somehow make the strange mirage go away through force.

Where was he?

He lifted his head up and stared down the length of his body.

What was he _wearing_?

Some kind of grey top and trousers. Loose. Made of a strange, lightweight, silky material that rippled like water when he moved.

He jerked to sitting and promptly whacked his head on the ceiling, letting out a yelp; it was much closer than he’d realized. He rubbed his head and looked around.

Clearly, he was in some kind of _compartment_. A small, cramped space, just big enough for his body to lay.

His heart pounded and he sucked in air, feeling the panic rise to his throat.

He quickly rolled to his side and right off the bed, flinching mid-air, and fell to the ground on all fours. A searing pain shot through his hands and knees. He jerked his head up and realized he’d just fallen out of some sort of bunk-bed. Like a sleeping cubby, with an unoccupied one below it.

The dim lights of the room suddenly brightened making him squint his eyes—it was almost _blinding_.

Everything was a painful, sterile white, constructed in odd, curved shapes.

Or maybe he was just hallucinating.

He pushed himself up with his hands, his chest heaving, as he strained his eyes for any sign of familiarity.

But there was none.

A bell chimed and the room was suddenly bathed in a soft, blue light, making him flinch and whirl around.

One of the four walls shimmered and turned to opaque glass. A strange looking woman wearing a royal-blue uniform and matching hat appeared on the screen. Her eyes were all wrong and her dark hair was twisted around her ears in some abnormal, pretzel-like way.

“Good morning, General Lupin. I hope that you slept well. Today, you will be meeting Emperor Palpatine on the loading bridge in approximately two hours. This is day fourteen of your diplomatic visit upon the starship Solar Fire, currently transiting the outer rim of the galaxy. Enjoy your stay!”

The image flickered and disappeared.

Remus gaped at the wall, his mouth falling open.

_What in the world?_

He must be dreaming.

He crouched down and cradled his head in his hands, alternating between rubbing his eyes and tugging his hair, desperately trying to suck in more air and sanity.

It _must_ be some kind of hallucination.

Maybe he’d accidentally drank some expired potion with wonky side affects…

An invisible drawer suddenly popped out of the bottom of the cubby-beds, making him jolt and topple to his backside. He quickly scrambled to his knees and crawled over to the drawer, peering inside.

There was a pair of cream colored breeches, tall, brown boots, a beige tunic, and a light brown robe-wrap-thing. He assumed he was supposed to put them on. He quickly stripped his sleeping clothes off and tossed them aside.

_Solar Fire…Solar Fire…fourteen days…Emperor Palpatine…diplomatic visit…_

Why did all that sound so oddly familiar?

It was like his brain was full of sludge and he couldn’t think properly; the harder he tried, the more the truth evaded him. 

After getting dressed and feeling very odd in the unfamiliar clothes, he stood in front of the wall and waited for something to happen.

But nothing did.

His heart started pounding again.

He had to get out of this claustrophobic box. It was like a nightmare. He _loathed_ small spaces. No windows…no openings…no air!

“Open!” he shouted at the walls, his voice cracking and his hands beginning to tremble at his sides.

But nothing happened.

He went back over to the bed and started yanking the bedding off, searching for something… _anything_.

There was the sound of a _thump_ from the top bunk and he scrambled up to see what it was. 

A small, silver cylindrical shaped object had rolled against the bed and hit the wall. He snatched it up and jumped back down to the ground.

It also felt oddly _familiar_.

He fiddled with the object for a moment, running his fingers over the small metal buttons and knobs. It was about six inches long and much heavier than it appeared.

He scrunched his brows and pressed down on a button.

“JESUS!” he yelped as a blinding, neon-green light shot out the tip of the device, spanning nearly three feet long. The thing was humming and vibrating so hard in his hands it felt like trying to hold onto a live-wire.

Remus' jaw fell open as he continued to stare at it, the fog slowly beginning to lift and his eyes going as wide as saucers.

And then everything started to make sense.

“A _lightsaber_?”

“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me!”

***

~S~

“We will be boarding the starship Solar Fire in approximately one hour—a diplomat of the Republic by the name of General Lupin will be meeting us there.”

“Good, good,” the Emperor said, a smirk pulling at the corners of his thin, red lips. “Once we touch down, send your men inside to investigate. If the object isn’t found, we’ll abort…And in this instance, it would be best if there were no _disturbances_ , do you understand?”

Sirius nodded, knowing _exactly_ what the man was implying.

So maybe _violence_ was always his first choice…but it was the quickest way to get what you wanted. He hadn’t become the head of the Imperial Commando Special Unit by sitting around on his laurels. If someone needed to be taken out, he was the man to do it. Jedis, deserters…sympathizers…Not a single one that he’d hunted down had eluded his grasp, and they never would—he was notoriously relentless and fortunately, had absolutely _nothing_ to lose.

He left the Emperor on the flight deck and walked over to one of the floor to ceiling viewports, gazing out at the endless expanse of stars. They were currently docked near the junk-heap of a planet Jakku, procuring a shipment of weapons. After the mission was complete they would head to the Solar Fire to run a search on the ship for a stolen “object” that was rumored to have ended up in their cargo. 

Sirius didn’t know what the “object” was, only that the Emperor was _adamant_ they find it, even going so far as to concocting a phony meet-and-greet with a diplomat of the Republic in order to gain access to the ship.

He didn’t ask questions, he just did as he was told like a good soldier. Though, he would have much rather stormed the ship than play some charade…but this seemed like the best option at the moment…because stirring the waters was _not_ something they wanted to do…at least not _yet._

The time would come when the Empire would rise and the entire galaxy would see who really held the power…And when it did, he would be the one standing next to the Emperor, as his right-hand man and most loyal commander.

A shooting star suddenly whizzed by the window, casting a blinding reflection against his dark visor. He instinctively squinted his eyes, but not out of necessity; his stormtrooper armor could withstand a nuclear blast.

He watched transfixed as the star burned a luminescent orange and red before fading to black.

And then a queer pain shot through his heart like a knife; he nearly keeled over from it, but refrained and stiffened as a whole host of unexpected emotions welled up in his throat, threatening to choke him. He quickly swallowed them down and shook his head in disbelief.

_What’s wrong with me?!_

Why in the world would seeing a _shooting star_ cause such an uncharacteristic, _emotional_ reaction?

He was _not_ an emotional person.

Which was exactly why he made such an excellent _assassin_.

Feelings would only slow him down…prevent the job from getting done. He was trained to _kill_ sympathizers…not _be_ one. He balled his gloved fists at his sides and exhaled heavily, the sound coming out uncomfortably loud through his mask. 

“Mission is complete,” a stormtrooper declared, marching up to the Emperor and saluting him.

“Excellent,” Emperor Palpatine replied, rubbing his small, white hands together greedily. “We make for the Solar Fire,” he barked to the pilot, before sitting down in a decadent, red velvet high-backed chair and snapping a golden buckle in the shape of an “X” across his chest.

Sirius sighed and moved to stand next to him.

It was just another day, another duty.

There was simply no place for emotion.

***


	2. Running in Place

***

~R~

After running his hands over nearly every surface in the room, Remus _finally_ discovered the touchpad on the wall. He anxiously pressed all of its buttons, accidentally turning the lights on and off about fifty times while repeatedly popping open the same drawer under the bed that kept re-filling with clothes.

Eventually, he got the right combination and the door to his compartment slid open.

He poked his head out into a blindingly-white curved hallway and blinked his eyes.

It seemed deserted.

Cautiously, he stepped out and started walking forward, unsure how he’d ever find his way back to his room; everything looked the same.

His ears immediately perked up at the faint sound of voices and he quickened his pace.

He glanced down, realizing the floor was illuminating as he walked, glowing a bright-white under each footstep. He stopped in place and did a fast jog, marveling at the effect and chuckling.

“Are you—"

Remus whipped his head up to see a man staring back at him—if he could be called a _man—_ he was more like a squid with a body.

“Oh…um…”

He knew he must look completely daft running in place, but then again, he was talking to a _squid-man._ “Do you know where I can find some food?” he blurted out, suddenly feeling a hunger pain.

The creature looked him up and down suspiciously, its tentacles waggling.

“Keep going down the hall. First door on your right. You can’t miss it.”

“Thank you,” Remus replied, feeling his face flush. He wiped his sweaty palms down the sides of his pants, feeling the lightsaber in his pocket; just carrying it gave him strength, even though he hadn’t the foggiest on how to actually _fight_ with the thing.

“Mess Hall” was written in plain English letters above a doorway, as well as many other languages he didn’t recognize. He walked inside the room, squinting his eyes. Why did the lights have to be so bloody harsh and so painfully _white_? What he would give for real sunlight!

The place wasn’t very full, with only a few people (or creatures?) milling about, standing in lines, or sitting at long white tables in clear plastic chairs.

Remus went and stood in line behind some people, like he knew what he was doing, and stared at their backs. They seemed human enough. Working up the courage, he tapped one on the shoulder. The man turned around, his eyes like a spider’s—there were far _, far_ too many of them—and Remus had to swallow down the urge to scream.

“Excuse me,” he croaked, “but can you tell me where the _loading bridge_ is?”

The creature stared at him shrewdly and squinted its many eyes. “Aren’t you that diplomat from the Republic? General Loopy or something?”

Remus flushed. “General Lupin, and yes, I am here on _diplomatic duties_ ,” he replied, standing taller and puffing out his chest, having no clue yet again what he was doing—but he was going to _own it_ regardless.

“And you don’t know where the _loading bridge_ is?”

Remus swallowed. “I…I just want to make sure I go to the right one…”

“There _is_ only one.”

“Oh…well that’s good to know. Thank you, good sir.”

The creature scowled and turned back around as Remus let out a sigh of relief.

“Hey, aren’t you meeting Emperor Palpatine?” the spider-man asked, turning round again.

“Yes, that’s correct. Emperor Palpatine.”

“Don’t know why you’re wasting your time on him…he’s as corrupt as they come,” the creature sneered before stepping forward in line.

Remus scrunched his brows and thought for a moment.

_Emperor Palpatine….Palpatine…_

“Dear god!” he blurted out, making some people jump. He knew _exactly_ who the man was. How could he have forgotten? Only one of the most evil characters in the entire Star Wars universe…and now he was about to go and _meet_ with him? And he didn’t even know why!

“What’ll you have?” a woman’s voice asked. Remus whipped his head up and came face to face with an expressionless, silver metal droid. “Cat got your tongue?” it jeered, cocking its oval head to the side and staring at him with glowing, yellow eyes.

“Erm…I’ll have…” he blinked rapidly, looking around for any kind of menu, but of course, there was none.

“Porridge?”

The robot stared at him blankly for half a beat and then typed something into a computer. A slot in the wall popped open revealing a clear plastic bowl containing some kind of slop.

He definitely didn’t think it was _porridge_.

“Uh, thanks…” he mumbled, grabbing the bowl and walking over to a vacant table. Did these creatures even use silverware? He looked around and noticed the spider-man sticking his face directly in a bowl, loudly slurping up its contents.

He winced.

_Clearly not._

He stuck his finger in the beige mush, grimacing, then lightly touched it to his tongue. It tasted fairly bland with the slightest hint of sweetness. Not as bad as he’d thought. His stomach grumbled and he held the bowl up to his lips, letting the sludge slowly slide into his mouth, trying desperately not to think about what he was doing.

“Hey, shouldn’t you be on the loading bridge?”

He flinched, spilling some of the slop on his face, and quickly wiped it off with his sleeve.

He stared up at the person.

This one actually looked _human_.

It was a blonde man in a navy uniform decorated with strange, rectangular red and black badges.

“Erm…”

“C’mon, finish up and I’ll walk with you there. I’d like to get a good look at ole Palpatine for myself.”

Remus licked his lips and jumped up, thrilled he’d finally found help—or that it had found _him._

He walked alongside the man at a brisk pace down a seemingly never-ending curved hallway, and when they finally came to an opening, Remus’ heart came to a screeching halt.

 _Everything_ in him came to a screeching halt.

Everything he saw was glass.

And beyond that…the stars.

Endless, endless _stars_.

He’d never seen anything more beautiful.

His breath caught in his chest and his eyes widened to capacity.

He walked towards the floor to ceiling glass window in a daze, his heart racing, and pressed his hands against it. It felt _real_. Cold and hard and all that separated him from the endless sea of stars.

“Wow,” he breathed, feeling slightly faint and loopy.

“You’d think it was your first time in space,” the man chuckled, standing next to him.

“Feels like it,” Remus murmured, unable to tear his eyes away.

If this was a dream, he’d gladly stay in it just for the view.

“Here they come,” the blonde man muttered.

Remus reluctantly turned around.

A massive ship was hovering just outside, lowering some kind of drawbridge down that connected to an empty glass room on the Solar Fire.

A squad of stormtroopers marched out carrying massive black rifles, or _Imperial stormrifles,_ as he qucikly remembered, and entered the glass room, moving around it mechanically in a circle and turning to face the ship from whence they’d just come.

A short, commanding man dressed in a regal black uniform with knee-high black boots and a flowing cape stepped out, and on his right, another stormtrooper, wearing a yellow badge across his left top shoulder and staying close to his side.

Remus watched them in awe.

“Wellp, I’ll leave you to it then,” the blonde man said, nudging his side. “And don’t let him intimidate you. He’s more pomp than anything. Doesn’t stand a chance against the Republic. ”

“R-right,” Remus stuttered, his eyes huge as he watched the Emperor enter the glass room. Another door slid open and he and his band of stormtroopers walked out and right towards him.

Remus felt like his legs were made of jelly.

Everything felt _very_ real...even if it was a dream.  


“You must be General Lupin,” the Emperor said in a greasy voice, smiling (or more like _sneering_ ), revealing rows of jagged yellow teeth.

Remus grimaced slightly and held out his hand before quickly drawing it back again. He couldn’t remember if people in _Star Wars_ actually greeted each other with a handshake or not. Best to do nothing.

“Y-yes,” he replied, sucking in a shaky inhale and trying to calm his trembling hands. “And you must be the Emperor.”

 _So much for seeming competent._

The stormtrooper standing next to the Emperor shifted on his feet slightly, as if irritated or impatient. The movement was slight, but Remus caught it and narrowed his eyes. The Emperor then nodded his head, as if he were having a silent conversation with his guard.

_Do they know who I really am?!_

Could they see through his painfully flimsy facade? Remus didn’t even know _why_ they were meeting for godssakes!

“I’m told you wanted to discuss an alliance on behalf of the Republic?” the Emperor asked.

Remus gaped at the man’s pasty white face. He really did need some sun, probably some serious vitamins, too.

“Oh…um…yes…an _alliance_ …Right…Well, what are _your_ thoughts on the matter?”

He would stall. Ramble on at the mouth incessantly if he had to. He was good at that. Just pretend he knew what in god’s name he was talking about, get them off his back and then run like hell, to where—he didn’t know. He’d steal a starfighter if he had to…

_Like Luke…_

“ _My_ thoughts?” the Emperor hissed, his eyes flashing crimson for a moment.

Remus recoiled, instinctively touching the lightsaber at his hip.

Suddenly, the guards closed in by at least a foot, surrounding them in a tight circle.

And Remus waited for death with baited breath.

But it didn’t come.

The Emperor lifted his hand, motioning for the guards to step back and then started chuckling, or more like _cackling_. “I’ve made my thoughts very _clear_ on the matter…but the Republic refuses to take me seriously…”

“So…you’re _not_ interested in an alliance, then?”

“Of course not!”

“Yeah, I didn’t think so…” Remus huffed, scratching the back of his neck and glancing around the room nervously. 

He looked up to find the Emperor staring at him with the strangest expression, his beady eyes narrowed.

And his bodyguard— _Christ!_

He couldn’t even see the man’s face but he could _feel_ his wrath, practically rolling off him in invisible waves. 

“So then why did you come here?” Remus blurted out, his face flushing. At this point, he felt he had nothing to lose. Either they would kill him or not…and then hopefully, he’d find out if this was all some kind of trippy dream.

Surprisingly, the Emperor became very flustered; his face contorting and his fists clenching, and Remus was afraid he might suddenly combust and turn into a basilisk, or whatever the equivalent was in this realm.

“Because…the Republic said it was willing to make certain _compromises_ …and I wanted to hear what they were...to better consider my _options_.”

The man was definitely lying.

A thrill went up Remus’ spine. It felt good to know he could see right through such a powerful persona.

“Compromises…right…” he tapped his finger to his lips and paced around a bit, feeling considerably braver.

 _I might as well go out with a bang!_   


“Yes…well, one of the _compromises_ is that you’re just gonna have to come over to the _light side_ …no more skulking around in the shadows…doing your dirty deeds behind closed doors…or on dodgy planets like Jakku…”

The Emperor gaped at him.

“And also…Darth Vader _needs_ to reveal himself. It’s about time he stopped hiding behind that ridiculous mask…The Republic wants to _see_ his face _…_ it’s the only way to know if he’s trustworthy or not…because you know...that’s how you _know_ …” he faded off.

It suddenly felt like the entire room was closing in on him, all the air being sucked out. Remus gulped and stared up at the silent stormtroopers with wide eyes. The one standing next to the Emperor, wearing the yellow badge, cocked its head to the side ever so slightly.

The Emperor cleared his throat.

“Well, thank you for _enlightening_ me on the Republic’s demands…I will… _consider_ them…” he wheezed, his eyes bulging. “Our time here is done.”

“Okay,” Remus breathed, feeling as if he’d just left his body.

The Emperor turned, swishing his cape behind him dramatically, and walked back towards the glass room, but his bodyguard, the yellow-badged one, glanced over his shoulder and stared at Remus for a split-second, sending a chill up his spine. He then quickly faced forward again, flexing his gloved fingers irritably at his sides.

The group walked back across the drawbridge and disappeared into their ship.

And Remus nearly fell to the floor in relief.

_What just happened?!_

He couldn’t believe the things that had come out of his mouth—and he couldn’t believe they hadn’t _killed_ him for it!

He felt light enough to float away, or maybe there was just less gravity in a starship…

Regardless, he felt he’d just narrowly escaped his own death.

He bolted from the room and ran back down the blindingly-white hallway, the floor illuminating his every step. 

***

~S~

“How DARE he say those things to me! Who _is_ he?!” the Emperor hissed.

“I don’t know,” Sirius replied, his mind racing.

“He must be taken out. _Immediately_.”

Sirius blinked several times, and strangely, something inside compelled him _not_ to agree.

“He’s clearly not what he seems…” the Emperor continued. “I don’t even know how he’s a _General_. He seemed much too young. The nerve—speaking to me like that! I should have killed him right then and there!…And I had the distinct feeling he might be a Jedi…as unlikely as that seems. He was _repulsive_ …”

Sirius was too lost in his own thoughts to hear what the Emperor was saying. He knew it was unprofessional to let his mind wander on the job, but he couldn’t help it. The whole situation was just so utterly bizarre.

_Who was that boy?!_

And how did he manage to get so under his skin in such a short time?

The audacity to say what he did about the Dark Lord! Surely he was just running off at the mouth…surely the Republic hadn’t _seriously_ made those absurd demands for a compromise. If they had…then they were even more unhinged than the Empire had taken them for. 

“Did you hear me?” the Emperor hissed, clutching ahold of the white plastoid armor on his forearm.

“Sir?”

“Take.Him.Out.”

Sirius blinked down at him, thankful for his helmet and that the man couldn’t see him gaping like a fish beneath it.

“We can’t afford to have someone that reckless on the loose. Whatever he is…he needs to disappear. Make it your _priority_. Leave no trace.”

“Yes, Your Emperor,” he replied, standing at attention.

Another stormtrooper suddenly appeared, nodding at him curtly, and taking his place next to the Emperor’s side.

_Well, that was quick._

Discharged at the drop of a hat and commanded to take out a boy…

A ridiculous, jabbering boy with shaggy, reddish-brown hair and caramel-colored eyes that seemed so…so... _familiar_.

_Why did they seem familiar?!_

Sirius went straight to his private quarters and locked himself inside, leaning his back against the metal door.

Why was he breathing so heavily?

Why did his palms feel so sweaty?

He tugged off his gloves and tossed them to the side, then yanked off his helmet and took a deep gulp of air.

He’d never had a problem breathing before…why now?

He started ripping his armor off left and right, feeling like it was suffocating him. Choking him.

He just needed to _breathe_.

And then he could think.

After getting stripped down to only his black briefs, he collapsed backwards onto the bed, throwing an arm over his face.

He needed to formulate a plan…

He’d have to get back on the Solar Fire, find the boy, and then kill him. It was that simple.

No big deal.

He’d done it a thousand times before.

He could do it again.

_But those fucking eyes!_

No.

He could do this.

Don’t think.

Just do.

_I am a stormtrooper. My skin is my armor. My face is my helmet. My name is my number. I am fulfilled, for I am an agent of the Emperor…I am a stormtrooper. My skin is my armor. My face is my helmet. My name is my number...*_

***

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Official Stormtrooper Pledge


	3. The Adventure Begins

***

~R~

Remus figured he must be dreaming because he somehow found himself crawling into a starfighter like he’d done it a million times before. He jumped into the cockpit, strapped on his gear harness and buckled up, scrolling through the touchscreens on the dash like he knew exactly what he was doing.

He instantly started recognizing some of the words, realizing they were _destinations_.

“Coruscant…Naboo…Tatooine…Danoor…Mustafar…Endor…”

_Endor…Endor…Christ, isn’t that where the Ewoks were? That should be safe enough and I should be able to breathe…_

“We’ll go there,” he mumbled, pulling on gears and pressing buttons, his fingers flying.

All he knew was that he had an inexplicable urge to get the hell off the Solar Fire. There was no way his brash behavior towards the Emperor would put him in a good light with the Republic…and knowing the Emperor, he’d be back for him…or send _someone else_ to do the job.

The bastard would probably snitch to Darth Vader and then he’d _really_ be dead.

His blood ran cold.

“Nope. One problem at a time,” he said, pulling a red and white helmet on over his head and adjusting the yellow visor. 

He pulled the ship out of the hanger and flew right through the open cargo-bay doors.

~~~

The screen on his dash said he was fifteen minutes from Endor.

Remus couldn’t believe he was really doing this. It was thrilling and terrifying at the same time.

He couldn’t remember ever having a lucid dream, but felt he must surely be having one now because everything felt so damn _real,_ yet he still had this freeing sense of non-reality. It’s what made him brave enough to act a fool in front of the Emperor…and fly a bloody _starfighter_.

But he wasn’t going to over-think things. He just wanted to rely on his instincts and see what happened.

The sound of something metal crashing nearly made him leap out of his skin. He let out a scream and jumped straight up in his seat, but was flung back down by his harness.

Clearly, he wasn’t _alone_.

Every hair on his body stood on end. He gripped the controller, digging his fingers into the metal and held his breath.

Turning his head slowly to the side, he glanced backwards. 

“What the fuck!” he screeched as he stared into the bulbous, black eyes of a very familiar looking green creature.

“Yoda?” he gasped.

The creature gurgled and cooed and held up a small tin can, waving it in the air like a rattle.

“Baby Yoda…” he trailed off.

And then he started laughing hysterically.

“Of _course_ you’d be in my ship! Fucking brilliant!”

The creature smiled large and then flopped on the ground and started giggling and rolling around like a delirious puppy.

Remus watched in awe.

A robotic female’s voice came through the ship’s speakers and he froze.

It was a countdown.

He turned and peered out the viewport.

_Endor._

Remus immediately recognized the lush, blue and green orb that looked so strikingly similar to Earth. He steered the ship through a thick bank of clouds, trusting the technology to auto-land him safely on the ground.

After a few tense moments of holding his breath they touched down gently and the engines whirred to a stop. A massive wave of relief and delirium washed over him.

“Well, baby Yoda…we made it,” he sighed.

***

~S~

Sirius searched every single nook and cranny of the Solar Fire, but still couldn’t find the boy anywhere. How was this possible? Surely he hadn’t disappeared on _purpose_. He didn’t seem clever enough. And no one on the ship knew of his whereabouts; he wasn’t scheduled to leave for another twenty days.

Finally, he decided to break into the surveillance room and scope out every exit on the ship over the past twenty-four hours.

And what he found made his jaw drop...not something that happened very often.

It was the boy, climbing into a starfighter like he did it every day.

_How does he even know how to fly the damned thing?!_

Maybe the Emperor had been right…maybe he was _much more_ than he seemed.

Sirius shut off the hologram and kneaded his brows with his fingers.

Clearly, hunting him down was going to be more of a challenge than he’d anticipated.

Now he’d need to know _where_ he was going.

He pulled a small, iridescent chip out of his pocket and popped it into the control system, scanning for all starfighter targeted destinations at the exact time the boy had left.

_Endor, huh? Well at least he picked a place he can breathe…_

He ran his fingers back through his hair and swiped it to the side, frowning and wondering why in the world he _cared_. It would have been much more convenient if the boy had foolishly picked an uninhabitable destination and died on contact. Problem solved. 

_But maybe I’d prefer the thrill of the chase…maybe that’s why I want him alive…_

He pocketed the chip and hurried back to his own ship.

***

~R~

Remus stepped out of the starfighter and took a deep, glorious breath of air.

And then he started coughing.

“Okay, it’s not _exactly_ like Earth,” he wheezed. The air felt so thick and humid, like he’d just swallowed a cloud.

Baby Yoda appeared at his feet, clutching onto the side of his boot and shyly peeking around his leg, his black eyes wide.

“Guess we’ll just have to make do, little guy.”

He bent down and lightly touched the creature’s small shoulders; it wore an oversized brown frock, like a miniature jacket, that folded around its neck and nearly swallowed its tiny hands.

“Do you want to go on an adventure?”

The creature lit up and held its hands in the air, wobbling on its feet and dancing from side to side.

“You want me to hold you?”

The baby blinked its black eyes.

“Let me see if I can find something useful in the ship,” Remus said, going back inside. He started digging through every compartment, throwing things around left and right.

“Perfect!” he exclaimed, pulling out a brown backpack. He also found some rectangular silver packets that looked to contain freeze-dried food.

“Alright, let’s go meet some Ewoks!” he said to the creature that was now comfortably strapped to his back.

Baby Yoda pumped his tiny fist in the air and made an excited gurgling noise.

Remus assumed that meant he agreed.

~~~

“This place is amazing…” he breathed after reaching the top of a hill. All he could see were endless fields of tall green grass blowing gently in the breeze like waves on the ocean.

“It’s like a dream…”

Suddenly, something hard hit the ground by his feet, blowing dirt and grass up into the air and scattering around him. He screamed and jumped backwards.

“What the—"

A wooden spear barely missed his calf by an inch.

He turned around to see a band of Ewoks hurtling towards him, pumping spears in the air and flinging rocks with sling-shots as fast as their short, stubby legs would carry them.

“Holy shit!” he screamed, turning on his heel and making a mad dash for the closest tree line. “I thought they were supposed to be NICE!”

He could feel baby Yoda bouncing around on his back uncontrollably and worried he might fly out.

A massive tree, the tallest and thickest he’d ever seen, loomed over him. He flicked his eyes around wildly, trying to find a low branch, but there were none. What he’d give to have his _wand_ at a time like this!

“SHIT!”

The Ewoks were closing in.

A spear flew right by his ear; he could feel blood dripping down his neck.

“I’M NOT AN ENEMY!” he screeched, running around the tree as if they were playing a lively game of chase.

“I COME IN PEACE!”

But he was surrounded.

He pressed his back into the tree as the furry, bear-like creatures pointed their sharp spears in his face, speaking in a garbled tongue he didn’t understand. Of course they didn’t speak English! Why hadn’t he thought of that?!

He closed his eyes and waited for death.

Baby Yoda made a loud noise and crawled half-way out of the pack, placing his tiny hands on Remus’ shoulder and pushing himself up.

The Ewoks collectively gasped and stepped back, immediately lowering their spears.

“Ooba! Ooba! Ooba!” they started chanting.

Remus had no idea what they were saying, but at least he wasn’t dead. The baby started making noises and the Ewoks responded as if they understood him. They were clearly having a conversation.

Finally, the creatures completely lowered their weapons. They all bowed slightly and then excitedly motioned for him to follow.

Remus sighed heavily, relaxing.   


“Well, I don’t know what you said, but thanks,” he muttered over his shoulder as the baby situated itself back in his pack.

He followed the Ewoks with wide eyes, trying to take in all the foreign sights and smells.

The forest was covered in lush, green undergrowth and massively tall trees that spanned so high they blocked out the sky. It slightly reminded him of the Forbidden Forest, but it was about a thousand times more beautiful and awe-inspiring.

Remus was still finding it hard to breathe, though, and desperately wanted some water. Surely they were heading someplace safe where he could rest and get something to drink…

The Ewoks kept glancing back at him, but mostly at the baby—they seemed both fascinated and afraid of it.

_Maybe the creature really is the real Yoda, and they somehow know that…_

Finally, after what felt like hours of trudging through the same terrain, they came to a stop.

Remus looked up, panting, and his jaw fell open.

The trees were full of countless tiny _houses,_ glowing from within.

There were hundreds of wooden bridges suspended in the air above them, connecting one massive tree to the next. And on each tree there was a porch with railings and a small thatched hut with a round doorway.

It was like a city in the treetops.

He remembered this.

This was why he’d always _loved_ Endor.

“Bright Tree Village!” he blurted out.

The Ewoks turned around to look at him, scrunching their thick brows and turning their furry faces from side to side almost mechanically.

Did they somehow understand him?

He grinned and stepped forward, clutching onto the straps of his pack.

Baby Yoda made a high-pitched sound and started wiggling around excitedly against him.

“Fucking brilliant,” he breathed, his eyes wide and glassy.

***

~S~

Sirius touched down on Endor and climbed out of his ship, inhaling the sweet, clean air of the forest moon.

He felt anxious.

And that wasn’t typical.

He was just performing a duty.

Why did the possibility of seeing the boy again make his heart race?

Maybe it was just because he was so _strange_ …

Sirius had never come across anyone like him in all his travels. So oddly familiar and just… _strange_. Like he didn’t belong in their world somehow.

He stuffed his extra ammo and some food packs in a backpack. He wouldn’t need his stormtrooper gear for this mission…Just a clean shot with his blaster.

That would finish the job.

He wasn’t worried about the Ewoks or the other creatures that inhabited the moon. He’d dealt with them all before. Besides, he wouldn’t be there long enough to have to _deal_ with anything. It would be a quick job.

In and out.

He shoved his pistol down the side of his black, knee-high boot and adjusted the utility belt buckled snugly around his waist. It was too humid to wear his black cape, so he stored it in his backpack and then strapped it on.

He’d start his search in the main Ewok villages. They were the most likely places the boy had either stumbled upon or been captured and taken to.

Or maybe he was lost and wandering around the forest somewhere…trapped in a swamp…killed and eaten by a Dulok.

Sirius shook his head and clenched his jaw.

_Once again, why would that be such a bad thing?_

Because he needed to be sure his target was actually _dead_. And _he_ needed to be the one to do it…so he could report back to the Emperor that he’d accomplished his mission...like the _faithful_ soldier that he was.

That was the _only_ reason it mattered.

***


	4. A Safe Haven

***

~S~

Sirius had trekked through no less than _five_ Ewok villages and still had found nothing of the boy.

Thankfully, he could speak Ewokese, the local dialect, and was able to ask if anyone had seen him.

The Ewoks had always been obliging, never giving him any harm during his visits to Endor.

Maybe it was because he was completely unafraid of them…

Or maybe it was because he’d always had this strange way of getting anyone to follow his orders…whether human or not.

A comrade had once told him it was because he was so _charming_.

Though he’d thought that was highly unlikely—a _charming_ assassin.

But he’d never forgotten the way the man’s words had made him feel, like his skin had caught fire. He’d felt so flustered at the time that he had to get up and walk away.

He sucked in air and tilted his face up.

The light was streaming through the trees from two different angles.

The planet’s two suns—Endor I and Endor II—were beginning to set.

Now, he’d need to find a place to camp for the night; he’d never anticipated his search taking this long.

_How in the hell have I not found him yet?!_

Already, he’d wasted so much precious time and energy…He needed to finish the job and return to the Emperor—protecting him was his _first priority_ after all…Not chasing after idiotic boys who didn’t know when to hold their tongues.

He continued walking as the light grew slowly dimmer, not really paying attention to where he was going.

The sound of distant drumming stirred him from his thoughts.

He looked up to find the trees full of glowing, yellow lights.

_Bright Tree Village…_

A good place to stay the night. Plus, he’d been there before and Chief Chirpa would remember him.

He took another step forward, entirely aware that he was being carefully watched. There were probably no less than a dozen spears pointed at him right that very minute. At any moment an Ewok guard could swoop down on a vine and impale his neck.

He walked slowly but confidently and held his hands up, speaking Ewokese and announcing his presence. He could feel them closing in from behind, but continued on.

The sound of human laughter pierced through the silence, making his heart stop.

He flicked his eyes around wildly.

The light of a campfire caught his attention; that’s where the faint drumming was coming from. He drew closer, pushing tree limbs aside, stepping carefully over branches, and what he found made his jaw drop.

It was the boy.

Dancing around a campfire.

_Like a lunatic._

A group of Ewok children laughed and danced giddily along side of him, as well as a strange, tiny green creature wearing a dress that kept toppling over.

Adult Ewoks stood around the fire, pounding on drums almost as tall as they were, and watching the bizarre spectacle unfold with delight. Other Ewoks clapped their hands and moved enthusiastically from side to side to the beat.

Something touched Sirius’ arm and he flinched.

It was Chief Chirpa.

He breathed a sigh of relief at the familiar Ewok’s face and quickly explained that he was only passing through and just there to collect his “friend.” He asked if he could stay the night.

The Chief patted him on the back and smiled, his brown eyes twinkling mischievously.

_Well, that was a strange look…_

Sirius turned his attention back to the campfire and moved in closer, as if magnetized, his heart thrumming against his chest.

The boy must have been drunk on _sunberry_ _wine_ …

It was the only way to explain his behavior.

That, or he was just out of his damn mind.

And then Sirius froze, suddenly realizing he had absolutely no inclination to reach for his blaster and shoot him.

But maybe it was because this wasn’t the time or place…Clearly, the Ewoks had taken a liking to the boy. Killing him in their presence would _not_ be the wisest tactic if he were to continue to maintain friendly ties with them.

He’d just have to wait until he was alone.

The Chief tugged him forward by the arm until he was standing close enough to be seen by everyone at the campfire.

He hadn’t even decided if he’d wanted the boy to know he existed. He’d never let himself be known before on any of his other assassin jobs…

The drumming suddenly stopped and everyone turned to look at him.

 _Everything_ stopped…including the boy.

Sirius gulped.

“Sirius?!” the boy yelped, starting to run towards him, tripping over his own two feet and scrambling to get back up again.

“Sirius! Oh my GOD! It’s YOU!” he panted, running towards him.

Sirius froze, his mind exploding.

_How in the world does he know who I am?!_

“Sirius!”

He was just about to grab his blaster when the boy threw his arms around his neck, knocking all of his air out.

“Oh, Sirius! I thought I was _crazy_! This place must actually be _real_ …but how did you—and where did you—" he rambled, seeming to hyperventilate as he ran his hands over nearly every inch of Sirius’ uniform.

Sirius stiffened and quickly grabbed him by the wrists, holding him at least a foot away.

The boy gaped up at him, his eyes full of shock.

Sirius could smell the sunberry wine on his breath...

See the red stains on his lips.

He swallowed hard and stared in his eyes.

They were brown—but not just any _brown…_ amber _-_ brown, glowing brown… _warm_ brown.

“Sirius, what’s wrong? Why are you acting like this?”

Sirius continued to stare at him, searching his eyes for answers.

_How does he know me?_

“Sirius, don’t you _know_ me?” the boy whined, his eyes beginning to water and his face contorting.

Sirius immediately released his wrists and stepped back and away from him, flicking his eyes around and noting the curious way the Ewoks were watching them.

He needed to fix things and fast.

“Of course I _know_ you,” he said, his voice unnaturally high. “But can we maybe…go some place _private_ and talk?”

The boy furrowed his copper brows, clearly unconvinced.

“I need to speak with you… _alone_ ,” Sirius pressed. He had no idea what he wanted to say, only that he certainly didn’t want an audience for it.

“We can go to my treehouse!” the boy said, lighting up.

“Perfect. Let’s do that.”

Sirius watched him walk back to the campfire and squat down next to the tiny green creature. “Ready for bed, little one?” he cooed. The creature nodded its head sleepily, its large ears flapping. He then picked it up and placed it in a pack which he carefully shrugged on his back. “Thank you everyone! That was brilliant!” he said before walking towards a ladder.

The Ewoks let out a collective cheer before continuing on with their drumming.

Sirius had to pick his jaw up off the ground.

He didn’t even speak Ewokese! Didn’t he know they couldn’t understand him? And how in the world had he made _friends_ with them so quickly? It had taken Sirius _years_ to build a solid relationship with the creatures. They weren’t naturally trusting of humans.

Sirius sucked in a deep breath and followed him up the ladder. His palms were so sweaty he kept having to stop and wipe them on his breeches.

Why was he so nervous?

“Home sweet home!” the boy said, pulling himself up on the porch and splaying his hands out. “They lent it to me for the night! Isn’t it brilliant?”

Why did he keep saying _brilliant_? Was it the only word he knew?

“Yeah…it’s great,” Sirius replied standing next to him.

The hut was small, as they all were, with several tiny hammocks, a table, and some dried herbs hanging from the ceiling. A torchlight protruding over the doorway lit up the place.

“Its so cozy!” the boy exclaimed. “Can you believe we’re really here? It’s like a dream. I flew a bloody starfighter!” he said excitedly, stepping towards him with wide eyes.

Sirius flinched and stepped backwards, gripping onto the railing behind him.

Did this creature have no sense of personal space?

“That’s amazing…” he breathed.

The boy furrowed his brows and pursed his lips. “You’re definitely not yourself,” he said, carefully taking off his backpack and helping the green creature crawl out of it; he then picked it up and ducked inside the house, gently laying it down on one of the hammocks.

“You can have the bed, little one. You’ll be nice and cozy. Sleep sweet!” He bopped it on its nose and the creature giggled and smiled back.

Sirius watched in awe. It was just all too bizarre.

“Now, what did you want to talk about?” the boy asked, coming back out onto the porch and walking towards him.

_Too close._

Sirius felt faint. Where did he start?

He gripped the railing and lowered himself to the ground, clasping onto his shins.

The boy did the same.

“Well, first of all…how do you _know_ me?”

“What d’you mean?”

“You act like you _know me_ …you knew my name. How?”

The boy’s face fell and he hugged his knees to his chest, thinking.

“So you don’t know _me_?”

“No…” Sirius replied, about to say he’d only ever seen him on the Solar Fire, but held his tongue. It would be foolish to divulge his identity. “I’ve never seen you before in my life.”

“You didn’t come here for me, then?”

_Does he know I’ve literally been hunting him down?!_

How did he seem to know everything? Sirius’ heart sped up and he swallowed hard, trying to formulate an alibi.

“No…I came here for… _other_ reasons.”

He couldn’t even think of a good excuse. Where in the world was his brain?

“Oh.” The boy hugged his legs closer and rested his chin on top of his knees.

Something tugged at Sirius’ mind. Why did the boy, hugging his knees, looking forlorn, seem so strangely _familiar_?

“But how did you know who I was?” he pressed again, still desperate for answers.

“Because, I _know you_ …in another life…or another dream. I don’t know. But I _do_.”

“But that doesn’t make any sense…”

“I know it doesn’t…but none of this does! I don’t even know how I got here…”

“In a starfighter?”

“No, that’s not what I mean. I mean _here_ , as in Star Wars Land,” he huffed irritably.

“What?”

“Never mind. Clearly, you wouldn’t understand.”

Sirius’ mind raced. He was making no sense. Maybe it was the sunberry wine, it always seemed to have a stronger effect on humans.

“Okay, so you _knew_ me before…But how? I mean…were we comrades or something?”

“No,” the boy replied, his eyes narrowing.

“Friends?” Sirius gulped, feeling his neck grow suddenly hot.

“Of a sort.”

That still didn’t answer his question.

The boy’s eyes began to dance mischievously and his lips slid up into a wicked grin. 

“We were lovers.”

Sirius’ heart stopped.

“W-what?” he choked out.

“Lovers. Boyfriends. Soulmates…” the boy sighed wistfully. “I was a werewolf and you were a dog…and we had magic. I really miss that,” he yawned, blinking slowly.

Sirius stared at him with his mouth hanging open. It was all he could manage to do. The boy was clearly drunk. It was the only plausible explanation for the things he’d just said. He was drunk and confusing him with someone else. He’d just gotten wildly lucky in knowing his _name_.

“Listen—”

“Remus.”

“Listen, _Remus_ , I think you have me confused with someone else…”

“No…it’s definitely you,” Remus mumbled, his eyes drooping shut. He leaned over and laid on his side, resting his head on his arm.

“I guess we’ll figure this out tomorrow then,” Sirius huffed, leaning against the thatched hut and staring down at him.

Remus’ breath grew slow and steady and his face soft, his shaggy, copper hair falling over his eyes. He grunted softly and rolled to his back, resting his hand lightly upon his chest.

And Sirius couldn’t tear his eyes away.

His heart pounded mercilessly as he bit the inside of his cheek and watched him.

This was the strangest thing that had ever happened in his entire life.

And on top of that, he’d completely lost his focus.

 _Now_ would be the perfect opportunity to take out his target.

But the Ewoks would know he’d done it…They watched them leave together.

Remus rolled to his other side, much too close to the edge of the porch, and Sirius instinctively lunged forward and grabbed him by the arm, dragging him back by the front door of the hut.

Why didn’t he just let him roll right off?

_Death by accident._

He anxiously pulled out a cigara from his pocket and held it up to the torch light; he pressed it to his lips and inhaled deeply, leaning his back against the side of the hut and sliding down to the ground again.

He stared at the boy.

Remus shivered slightly and made a noise.

Without even thinking, Sirius leaned forward and tugged his brown cloak up and around his body, cocooning him inside it.

_What am I doing?!_

He sighed heavily and dug his own cloak out of his pack, wrapping it snugly around his own shoulders and settling against the wall again.

The night creatures chirped and the Ewoks were chittering to one other, preparing for bed.

And he realized he really liked being so high off the ground.

It felt safe.

Something he hadn’t felt in some time…

Safe was different than confident.

Safe was different than trained.

Safe was different than _self-reliant_.

He stared at the boy and narrowed his eyes; watched him inhale and exhale through parted lips stained red. Noticed the way his long, copper-curled lashes dusted the tops of his sharp cheekbones… 

_Safe._

***


	5. Always Hope

***

~R~

Remus flinched and sat straight up, woken by the jarring sound of horns being blown. 

“God!” he yelped, suddenly realizing how high up he was.

“Hey, it’s okay—it’s just the morning horns.”

He blinked the sleep out of his eyes and stared at Sirius. Or at least at the man who _looked_ just like Sirius; he was sitting with his back pressed against the hut wall and his black cloak wrapped around him like a poncho.

Remus quickly patted himself down, searching for his lightsaber, relief washing over him when he felt it still inside his pocket.

He flicked his eyes to the man who was watching him shrewdly with narrowed eyes.

“Is it like their morning alarm or something?” he asked, rubbing his eyes. His throat felt like sandpaper—the left-over sunberry wine was _not_ doing him any favors.

“It’s to alert the changing of the guard.”

“They have guards?”

Sirius furrowed his black brows and shot him an irritated look. “You didn’t get stopped by them when you wandered into this camp?”

“I didn’t _wander_ into this place,” he snapped back, suddenly feeling like the man took him for some kind of idiot. “I landed my starfighter in the hills. _They_ found me. Nearly speared me to death. If it weren’t for baby Yoda, I’d probably be dead.”

“The green creature?”

“Yes.”

“And how did you come across him?”

“He found me as well. He was hiding in my starfighter.”

“That’s odd.”

“What?”

“How everyone seems to _find you_ …”

“ _You_ found me.”

They stared at each other for a long beat, the air growing thick and heavy between them, and it had nothing to do with the humidity, rolling in like waves of London fog.

“And so I did.”

Remus couldn’t help but notice the dark circles under the man’s eyes. Did he not sleep?

The horns sounded again and Remus flinched, his head pounding and his stomach leaping to his throat. Clearly, the only way he’d survived the night so high up was because he’d been completely and utterly _sloshed_.

“I think I need to get down,” he moaned, trying to stand and wobbling unsteadily on his feet.

Sirius jumped up and clutched onto his elbow.

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” he said, towering over him by almost a foot.

“You’re so… _tall_ …” Remus whispered, gaping up at him.

“Hmm?”

It was so odd being shorter than Sirius. But he didn’t hate it.

“I’ve gotta get my feet on the ground…” he said, clutching his stomach. “And I need food…and a bathroom…and—"

“Okay, okay, I’ll help you,” Sirius huffed. “I’ll go down first and then you. _Slowly_ ,” he added, clutching his elbow tighter with his long fingers.

“Oh, the creature…”

“What about him?”

“I’m sure he’ll want down, too. Can you carry him?”

Sirius bristled and pursed his lips.

“Don’t give me that look,” Remus hissed.

The man’s mouth fell open.

“You can just put him in the backpack. I’m sure he’ll want to eat and play with the other children.”

“You mean the younglings?”

“Whatever. Just get him, _please_.”

Sirius growled under his breath and went inside the hut, returning a few minutes later with a very sleepy baby Yoda strapped to his back.

Remus wanted to laugh.

Sirius shot him a glare and then started climbing down the ladder. “C’mon,” he snipped.

Remus clutched onto the wooden poles and focused on taking it one step at a time.

_Don’t look down…_

He felt Sirius’ hand graze his calf.

“You don’t have to go so slow for me.”

“Right. And just let you fall backwards to your death.”

He sounded as irritable as the _old_ Sirius. Maybe he was finally coming back to himself...

They continued to go down, at an even slower pace than Remus would have preferred, with the man practically hovering over him.

He was never so glad to have his feet on the ground. He sucked in air, feeling the sticky perspiration on his neck and face. “God, this place is humid.”

“It is a _forest_ moon,” Sirius grumbled, hiking the pack up his back. Baby Yoda had fallen back asleep, his bat-wing ears wilted and his mouth slightly agape.

“Is that what this place is?”

Sirius shot him an incredulous look. “Don't you know _anything_ about this place?”

“Yeah, it has Ewoks…and I figured I could breathe here.”

The man shook his head in disbelief. 

“Okay, I’m gonna need something to eat…That wine and all those berries were _not_ enough…And I need water, too…”

Sirius stared at him blankly, his lips parting. 

A group of Ewoks approached them, talking gibberish and pointing excitedly at Sirius’ backpack.

“Ooba! Ooba! Ooba!” they chanted.

“What in the bloody hell are they saying?” Remus hissed.

“The child, the child…” Sirius replied.

“You speak Ewok?”

“Yes, and it’s called Ewokese.”

“Why are they calling him the _child_?”

“Beats me. They seem to like him, though.”

The Ewoks continued on, brandishing spears over their shoulders, as he and Sirius made their way over to a campfire.

Something smelled good and his stomach grumbled, and before he could even ask, Sirius was handing him a wooden bowl full of slop and a cup of water.

“Thanks.”

The man sat down next to him, their thighs barely grazing, and tilted his own bowl up to his face.

Remus did the same.

Whatever it was, it was good and filling. It tasted like mashed sweet potatoes with cinnamon.

“No one uses utensils here?” he asked, setting his bowl down and licking his lips.

Sirius turned towards him, his blue eyes flicking to the corner of his mouth and holding there.

Remus flushed and quickly wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

“No. They have no use for them,” he replied, turning his attention back to his bowl.

“So how d’you know so much about this place? Do you visit often?”

“I’ve been here a few times.”

“And?”

“And, what?”

“And _why_ did you come?”

“Business.”

“What line of work are you in?”

Sirius pursed his lips and frowned, clearly not wanting to say.

“I’d rather not say.”

“Why? Is it embarrassing? Oh, I know, did you get stuck gathering data on all the _harmless_ species in the galaxy? Like an anthropologist for un-cool creatures?”

“What in the world are you going on about?”

Remus lit up and started grinning. He couldn’t help it. The reply was just so _Sirius_.

“Never mind. So are you gonna tell me or not?”

“Not for the time being.”

“Fine,” Remus huffed. “But I expect to find out sometime.”

The man squirmed and fidgeted with his half empty wooden bowl. “What is it exactly that _you_ do?”

“I’m a…a diplomat.”

“A diplomat?”

“Yes. A diplomat. For the Republic.”

“And?”

“And…I focus on forging intergalactic alliances.”

“And have you _forged_ any successful ones?”

“Mmm. Not yet. But I’m new.”

“I see.”

He didn’t seem convinced.

“In fact, I might have helped forge an alliance between the Republic and Emperor Palpatine.”

“Really, now?” Sirius asked in a silky voice, turning his full body towards him.

“And how did that go?”

Remus gulped. “It went… _well_. I think we made good progress. The Emperor seemed…open to the idea.”

“That doesn’t sound like him.”

Remus narrowed his eyes. “Well…he was… _open_ …and I think there’s a chance that the Empire and the Republic could come together…if both were willing to make compromises.”

Sirius’ eyes darkened and he leaned towards him, his face just a few inches away. “The Empire doesn’t _make_ compromises.”

Remus felt a chill go up his spine. The man seemed very certain.

_Too certain._

“There’s always hope.”

Sirius recoiled slightly and shot him an incredulous look.

“What? You don’t have hope that things will change for the better?”

The man licked his lips. “Things _will_ change but it has nothing to do with _hope_. They’ll change because people will _make_ them.”

Remus felt like they were talking about two very different things.

“Well, there’s always hope…”

“You know this to be true?”

“I ended up in the same galaxy as _you_.”

Sirius’ blue eyes widened.

Remus swallowed and continued to stare at him. “And I made it to a planet where I could breathe…and found creatures that would help me…There are _no_ coincidences.”

“If you say so,” Sirius said exasperatedly, turning away from him and finishing down the last of his slop.

***

~S~

Sirius couldn’t believe the things that came out of the boy’s mouth. He’d never been around someone so…so _open_.

And so without an agenda…

It was unnerving.

“Is there…um…a bathroom? A loo or a toilet? Maybe an out-house?” Remus asked, his cheeks coloring.

Sirius tried to contain his smirk and pointed towards a dirt path that led towards a copse of trees.

“Watch out for Duloks,” he hollered.

“For _what?!_ ”

“Don’t worry about it,” he replied, starting to grin.

He felt the creature stir on his back and turned his head to the side. “You awake?”

The _child_ gurgled and pinched his shoulder.

“Alright, alright, hang on,” he huffed, standing up and shrugging the backpack off, setting it gently on the ground.

The creature held its arms up, clearly wanting to be picked up.

Sirius sighed and lifted him up, setting him down on top of the table. “You hungry?”

The creature’s black, bulbous eyes lit up as it started wiggling excitedly from side to side.

“Wait here,” he said, shaking his head.

He went and grabbed another bowl of root-slop and held it out to the creature. The _child_ promptly snatched the bowl in its tiny hands and stuck its round, green head inside, licking up the contents and making a complete mess.

Sirius grimaced. The creature was going to be a sticky _nightmare_.

“Oh, thanks for doing that,” Remus said, walking back to the table. “I figured he’d be starved when he woke up.”

The _child_ burped loudly and held the bowl in the air, clearly asking for more.

“I’ll get it,” Remus said smiling. He walked over to the group of Eowks churning the stuff in a giant clay pot.

Sirius narrowed his eyes and watched him go, staring him up and down; observing his awkward gait, the movement of his hands by his sides, and the way he kept brushing his hair off his forehead like it was a nervous habit. The boy was slim and gangly, not very muscular, and annoyingly clumsy.

 _Definitely clumsy…_ Sirius thought, as he watched him trip over a tree root and nearly let the bowl in his hands go flying.

The boy stared at him and grinned broadly, his still-sleepy eyes sparkling.

And something in Sirius’ chest tightened, making him quickly avert his eyes.

Remus handed the bowl to the creature and they both watched in horror as it flung slop left and right and licked the bowl clean within a matter of seconds.

“I think we’re gonna have to wash him.”

“My thoughts exactly,” Sirius sighed. “There’s a river close by.”

“Good, I could use a bath, too,” Remus said, grimacing and tugging on the collar of his tunic.

Sirius gulped, suddenly feeling very hot.

~~~

They made their way down to the river, walking the dirt path and getting curious glances from the Ewoks they passed. A group of younglings trailed behind them, chittering excitedly.

It was even more humid down by the water.

“Oh, this is heaven!” Remus exclaimed, going to the water’s edge and crouching down, dipping his fingers in the water. “This is brilliant!”

There he was again with his favorite word.

And then the boy started yanking his boots off and tossing them aside, and untying his wrap at his waist…

Sirius immediately looked away and turned his back, his heart jumping to his throat. 

The _child_ squirmed to break free of his pack and he quickly took it off and set it on the ground. How was he the creature’s caretaker now? Surely that role didn’t fall to him! He knew nothing about caring for younglings. 

The creature hastily waddled towards the water’s edge on unsteady feet and Sirius reached out and grabbed a handful of its sticky, brown dress, yanking it back. “Oh, no you don’t. I doubt you know how to swim.”

“It’s warm!” Remus hollered, already waist deep in the water.

Sirius’ heart sputtered. He bit down on his bottom lip and tried to control his breathing, but that was very hard to do considering the boy was completely naked and just a few feet away from him.

“Aren’t you coming?” Remus asked, swimming closer.

Sirius flicked his eyes up to the sky and swallowed hard, trying _not_ to look at the boy’s bare skin—it was so pale. He even had freckles on the tops of his shoulders. And he actually _did_ have muscles, and even some copper-colored hair on his chest...

_Maybe he’s more of a man than I took him for…_

The water was awfully clear and Sirius flushed even deeper. He was seeing _a lot_ of skin.

“There’s not something in here that’s gonna eat me, is there?”

“No,” Sirius replied in a strangled voice, pulled from his thoughts. “Now, if you were in the _swamps_ …that would be a different story.”

“C’mon then!” Remus hollered, splashing him with water and chuckling.

“Fine,” he huffed, wiping his face. “But y _ou_ can wash the _child_.”

Remus moved closer and held out his arms and the creature jumped right into them—or more like _tripped,_ and was catapulted forward.

“You’ll _love_ the water,” Remus cooed, holding him to his chest and spinning around in a circle.

Sirius shook his head in disbelief.

_How has this become my life?_

He sat down on the grass and started tugging his boots off, making sure his pistol was still safely tucked away inside. He stood up and started unfastening the top part of his black uniform. He peeled it off and tossed it aside, unable to look up, but he could _feel_ the boy’s eyes on him. It felt like every inch of his skin was on fire.

“Are you getting shy on me?”

He flicked his eyes up and gaped. “No! It’s just…”

“I’ve seen it all before!” Remus hollered, starting to laugh.

Sirius flushed and sucked on his bottom lip, slowly undoing his belt, pulling it off and dropping it to the ground.

“Oh fine—I’ll turn my back!” Remus huffed, spinning around and chattering to the creature.

Sirius exhaled with relief and quickly peeled his pants and briefs off, crawling to the edge of the river bank and slipping down into the water. It _was_ warm.

_Wonderfully warm._

He went underwater and ran his fingers through his hair, scratching his scalp and blowing bubbles, then popped back up to the surface again.

“OH!” the boy exclaimed, nearly crashing into him as he’d been spinning in circles with the _child_.

Sirius instinctively reached out and gripped onto his bicep, and for a moment, they both stared at each other with wide eyes, treading water.

“Sorry,” Remus muttered, pulling out of his grasp and backing away.

The _child_ made a noise and splashed the water with his tiny, claw-like hands.

Sirius rubbed the water from his eyes and swiped his hair back, feeling nervous and electrified and entirely out of his element.

“Your turn,” Remus said, shoving the creature onto him before diving underwater and popping up several feet away, spewing water out of his mouth. “I could get used to this,” he sighed, grinning from ear to ear and paddling around like a happy child.

“You might get tired of it after a while…There’s not much to do on this moon…”

“I like the solitude…And I bet there’s _plenty_ to do. Will you give me the grand tour?”

Sirius sputtered. “Um…well…”

“Or do you have _some place_ _else_ to be?”

His heart sped up.

_Does he know? Why does it always seem like he knows?!_

“No…”

“Then be my tour guide. _Please_?” Remus begged, swimming closer and pouting his lips, his brown eyes going round.

Sirius felt warm all over again and bit back a smile. “Fine, but I think it would be best if the _child_ stayed at camp. He’ll only slow us down.”

The creature turned its head to the side and promptly bit him on the chest. “OUCH!” he yelped, nearly dropping the thing in the river.

“I don’t think he likes that idea,” Remus said, a devilish grin sliding up his face. “He’s been good luck for me so far…So it’s probably best if he stays with us.”

Despite the throbbing pain in Sirius' skin, a jolt of heat went straight to his navel at the word “us”. He liked how it sounded…and the things it made him feel.

“Us?” he murmured.

“Yes, _us_ ,” Remus said, moving even closer, less than a foot away. He reached his hand up and brushed his wet fingertips over the bite mark on his breast, lightly caressing the tender skin.

Sirius’ eyes involuntarily fluttered shut as his lips parted and his breathing hitched.

“No biting!” Remus scolded.

He opened his eyes again.

Remus was waggling a finger at the _child_. “I sure hope you don’t carry rabies or anything,” he huffed.

“Rabies?”

“It’s just a disease from my realm. I’m not sure what your equivalent would be…probably a bite from some poisonous alien creature that makes you go wonky.”

Sirius rubbed the mark with his fingers, wincing slightly. It was definitely going to leave a bruise. But aside from that, he had the inexplicable urge to ask the boy to touch it again, but he couldn’t think of a good excuse _why_.

All he knew is that he wanted those warm fingers pressed against his skin again.

Remus grinned and playfully swished at the water, splashing him in the face.

His mouth fell open and he nearly lunged for him but couldn’t, not while he was still holding the creature.

Remus dove underwater and came up by the river bank, grabbing hold of the long grass and pulling himself up.

Sirius nearly dropped the _child_ again _._

He was not in any way prepared to get such an unhindered view of the boy’s naked backside.

He whirled around, facing the opposite direction, as his heart pounded out of his chest.

_No…Just, no…._

“C’mon, you Grindylow! Let’s get to exploring!”

Sirius turned back around, slowly this time, relieved to see Remus with his pants already on.

“Grindylow?” he asked wearily, setting the _child_ down in the grass.

“Yeah, it’s just an evil water creature in my realm. You once stunned about a hundred of them when we were swimming in the Black Lake—I mean…never mind.”

Sirius waited until Remus was busy putting his boots on and then pulled himself up and out of the water, quickly snatching up his clothes and hastily tugging his briefs back on.

“Sounds like I was pretty awesome,” he huffed, struggling to tug his pants on over his wet thighs.

Remus chuckled and stood up, tying his wrap around his waist.

“Well, _you_ certainly thought you were.”

Sirius smirked. “Then I guess I sound like myself.” He stood up and fastened his pants, slipping his belt around his waist.

“Oh I think you’d probably be _you_ in any realm.”

He flicked his eyes to the boy and they stared at each other, a silent exchange happening that he didn’t fully understand, and then he shook his head, flinging the water off his hair.

“See, that’s _exactly_ what the old you would do.”

“What?”

“Shake your hair out like a wet dog. You do it all the time. Drives me bloody insane.”

Sirius couldn’t help but grin. It tickled him to know some other version of himself drove the boy crazy.

“C’mon,” he said, snatching the backpack up and setting the _child_ inside it.

“We can go to the meadow first.”

***


	6. One so Small

***

~R~

Remus couldn’t quit smirking. He could tell how nervous he was making Sirius and it was absolutely thrilling. He’d never had this kind of effect on the man, at least not that he’d been aware of. Sirius was rarely ever flustered by him.

They’d been walking for at least an hour now and everything still looked the same. Endless evergreen trees; broken rocks in varying sizes and scattered moss-covered limbs. He was starting to feel like if he didn’t see an open field soon he might go insane.

Sirius walked on ahead of him, still carrying the backpack. Baby Yoda had fallen back asleep and only the top part of his green, hairy head could be seen poking out of the open flap.

Remus had never taken Sirius for the maternal type and seeing him with the creature was just plain delightful. He wished he could take a picture and show it to the _real_ Sirius.

“Almost there,” Sirius panted. “If I remember correctly, it should be just past _that_ boulder,” he said pointing.

“If you _remember_ correctly? I thought you _knew_ where you were going?” Remus couldn’t help the slight whine in his voice. He’d never been one for hiking…in this world or any other.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been here,” Sirius replied irritably.

“Why did you come here before, again?” Remus panted, wiping the sweat off his brow with the back of his hand.

There was a long stretch of silence, and he was just about to ask again.

“Business,” Sirius replied.

Remus furrowed his brows. He was starting to think the kind of business Sirius was in was somehow _unsavory_.

They made it past the giant boulder and sure enough, there was a clearing in the trees just beyond it.

“Whoa,” Remus breathed, stepping forward into the light.

Stretched out for as far as the eye could see were rolling hills of lush green grass and the most exquisite, brightly colored flowers he’d ever seen; their fuchsia, gold, sapphire, violet and orange petals blowing merrily in the breeze as giant blue butterflies with black-tipped wings floated lazily from one bloom to another.

It looked like a surrealist painting.

He glanced sideways and noticed that Sirius was smiling wistfully, too, his blue eyes shining.

“It is pretty picturesque, I suppose,” the man said.

“You _suppose_? I’ve _never_ seen anything more beautiful!”

Baby Yoda woke up and sleepily stuck his head out of the pack on Sirius’ back.

“You’ve gotta see this!” Remus exclaimed, moving to pull the pack off of Sirius’ shoulders. The man helped him by rolling his shoulders back and shrugging it off, causing Remus to get a dizzying whiff of his sweat. He still _smelled_ like the real Sirius. A heady mix of pine and _sex_...it was the only way to describe it. Remus swallowed hard and averted his eyes, turning his attention to the creature. He carefully set the pack on the ground and pulled the baby out, picking him up and resting him on his hip.

Baby Yoda lit up and giggled at the breathtaking sight, squirming from side to side and waving his stubby arms around. 

Remus started walking forwards but then stopped himself, pausing, “Is it safe?”

“Should be…unless of course a giant condor dragon swoops down and eats us.”

“A what?!”

“Don’t worry, I’ll see it coming from miles away.”

Remus gulped. Why couldn’t there just be nice _Ewoks_ on Endor? It was difficult to relax knowing killer swamp creatures, flying dragons, and _god knows what else_ lurked about.

He walked a little closer to Sirius as they stepped out into the clearing and was suddenly hit with a wave of sweet fragrances. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, thinking he’d never smelled anything quite like it before.

It was simply indescribable in Earth terms.

When he opened his eyes again he was surprised to find Sirius staring back at him. The man’s blue eyes were narrowed to slits and his dark brows furrowed.

“What?”

“Nothing,” Sirius replied, clearing his throat and turning to face the fields.

They hiked out even further, coming to a stop at the top of a lush, green hill.

Remus set the _child_ down and smiled as the creature sniffed a violet flower, holding it very carefully between its tiny hands.

“Can we stay here for a while?” Remus asked.

“Sure,” Sirius replied, glancing at him, a bemused smile pulling at the corners of his perfect mouth as his raven hair blew back in the breeze. He looked as if he were in some kind of fantasy _shampoo_ commercial.

And Remus desperately wished he could kiss him.

He ached to touch him.

To be reminded what his lips felt like.

It would make the already perfect scene that much more _perfect_ …but he knew if he even attempted it, he’d probably get bludgeoned over the head with the man’s blaster pistol.

Instead, he sat down in the grass and sighed, leaning back on his hands and watching as the _child_ continued to examine each flower with a fervor.

“You hungry?” Sirius asked, sitting down next to him.

“I could eat,” he replied with a smirk.

The man’s cheeks flushed and he started digging through the side pockets of his bag. “Hopefully they didn’t get too smashed,” he said, handing him something wrapped in a brown cloth.

Remus took it and curiously opened it up. “Oh, it’s like a sandwich.”

“A what?”

“Bread and meat.”

“Oh.”

“But what exactly is this meat?” he asked, poking at the strange brown substance.

“Probably boar-wolf.”

“What?!”

“It’s fine. Trust me. The Ewoks eat it all the time.”

“And you’ve eaten this before?”

“Yes,” Sirius sighed exasperatedly. “It’s not going to kill you.”

Remus huffed and took a bite, chewing slowly. It was certainly _gamey_ , but not half bad. He practically devoured the rest of it, not realizing just how hungry he actually was.

Sirius handed him a canteen of water, their fingers grazing as he did. Remus jumped slightly from the contact and bit down on his lip. It was completely and utterly bizarre to feel so uncomfortable around someone you used to bang it out with on the regular.

He passed the water to the _child_ and stared off into the distance, a flash of light catching his attention. “What’s that?” he asked, pointing.

“Mmm, Lake Sui. There’s another village of Ewoks there. They live above the lake in houses built on stilts.”

“Can we go see them?” he asked, lighting up.

“Not today. It’s much further away than it seems.”

Remus glanced up at the azure-blue sky; the moon’s two suns were really beating down. No wonder the place felt like a pressure-cooker. “Is it this warm all over the moon?”

“No, not in the mountains, and it can get chilly at night in the forest when the wind blows off the icy peaks. It’s spring-time here now.”

“There are mountains?”

“The Campalan mountain range…The Ewoks pick caf beans on the cliffs and use them to make a brewed drink called _caf_.”

“Is it as strong as sunberry wine?” Remus grinned.

“No,” the man smirked. “At least not in _that_ way. It’ll keep you up all night…so it’s best to drink it at breakfast.”

“Good to know,” Remus murmured, laying back in the grass and resting his head in his hands. The suns were so warm and the flowers smelled so sweet, and his body was so damn tired…He closed his eyes and exhaled, feeling more relaxed than ever.

He felt Sirius lie down next to him, their shoulders barely touching, and smiled serenely.

~~~

They must have dozed off because when Remus blinked his eyes open again the suns were much further to the west than they had been.

He sat up quickly and looked around.

“Baby Yoda?” he rasped.

His heart started to race. Surely the creature hadn’t wandered off.

“Baby Yoda?”

Sirius sat up next to him, rubbing his eyes.

Remus scrambled to his feet and turned around in panicky circles. “C’mon, Yoda, for godssakes! Answer me, damn it!” He started frantically swatting the grass and flowers aside.

“Yoda!”

“Would you shut up—you’re gonna wake him!” Sirius snapped, pointing to the backpack laying by his feet; the creature’s ears were sticking out the very top.

“You ass!” Remus bellowed.

“What?”

“You knew he was there the whole time and just let me run around like a bloody FOOL?!”

The man’s eyes glistened as he darted his tongue out and licked his lips. “Maybe.”

“Bloody bastard!” Remus yelped, throwing himself on top of him and shoving him back into the grass. They rolled several times, clutching onto each other and crushing swaths of flowers, releasing their heady perfume.

Sirius was stronger and put up a fight, quickly gaining the upper hand and pinning him to the ground; he sat on top of him, straddling his hips.

Their eyes locked as they both panted for air.

Remus felt a raging fire shoot straight from his cock to his navel, spreading up his chest and making it hard to think. He blinked rapidly and licked his lips. Was it just him or was the man leaning his face down? Sirius was clasping both of his wrists in his strong hands, pressing them above his head and into the grass, keeping him completely powerless.

But Remus didn’t mind.

His heart beat wildly. He closed his eyes, anticipating the soft, familiar touch of Sirius’ lips. Craving it with every fiber of his being.

A moment passed, but there was nothing.

He opened his eyes and the man stared back at him in confusion. Or maybe it was _angst_.

Sirius quickly released him and stood up, silently brushing the grass off his black breeches.

Remus huffed loudly and pushed himself to sitting.

_So much for snogging in the flowers._

The wind suddenly picked up, ruffling his hair, and he squinted his eyes at the sky before turning to look back towards the forest. Dark, ominous clouds were building over the treetops. 

“We need to head back to camp,” Sirius said grimly, staring in the same direction as he was, his jaw clenched. “Looks like a storm’s brewing.”

Remus went to pick up the backpack with the _child_ but Sirius stopped him. “I can carry him,” he said, picking the bag up and pulling the straps over his muscular arms.

“I thought you might like a break…He’s a heavy sack of potatoes,” Remus said, unable to tear his eyes away from Sirius’ face.

“I’ll manage,” the man replied, shooting him a lopsided grin.

Remus’ heart faltered. Oh how he loved that smile! It’d been ages since he’d last seen it.

“Okay,” he breathed, following close behind him.

***

~S~

Sirius couldn’t believe he’d just spent the entire day in a meadow having a picnic with a boy and his pet creature—and he’d never _once_ thought about killing him!

In fact, he was more concerned for his _safety_.

The changing weather made him nervous. It would be much harder to defend all three of them if something should happen.

He started walking faster, glancing back every few minutes to make sure Remus hadn’t been snatched up by a condor or clumsily fallen into some Ewok hunting trap.

Thunder rumbled and his heart sped up.

“I think we should try a short-cut,” he said looking back.

“Fine by me,” Remus replied.

“But it’s through the swamps.”

“Brilliant.”

“So there’s the possibility of getting attacked by a Dulok. But it’ll cut off at least an hour of our time.”

“Whatever you think is best,” Remus said casually, but his eyes said something else—they were full of _fear_.

Sirius hesitated, chewing on the inside of his cheek. Either way they would be in danger. Traipsing through the woods in the rain for another hour when more formidable creatures came out to hunt, or going by the swamps, possibly running into a Dulok and getting killed, or getting back to camp quicker…

“Okay, but stick close. Do you have some form of protection on you?”

Remus padded his pocket and nodded. “Yes.”

Sirius pulled his blaster out of his boot and held it up. “Good. You should probably have it handy.”

“I will,” Remus replied, but made no effort to retrieve the thing.

Sirius huffed and kept walking.

He knew they were approaching the swamps because he could _smell_ them before he could see them. The air became so dense and muggy it was hard to breathe; his skin was slick from all the moisture. A thick layer of mist swirled over the bogs and around their feet, making it hard to see where they were walking.

“This is just like Yoda’s swamp!” Remus exclaimed.

The _child_ has a swamp?”

“No…never mind.”

Sirius stealthily crawled over moss-covered rocks and skirted the shore-line. “We need to be quiet from here on out,” he turned back and whispered.

The boy nodded.

“And that goes for you, too,” he said, turning to glance at the _child_ on his back.

The creature didn’t stir. It must have fallen back asleep.

They silently moved through putrid smelling mud, grabbing at vines and plants so as not to get sucked down into the swamp. Every hair on Sirius’ body was standing on end as his eyes flicked around wildly, watching for the slightest movement.

A sound came from above and his heart stopped.

“What the hell was _that_?” Remus hissed, grabbing hold of his arm and making him flinch.

Sirius looked up and caught the faintest glimpse of pink feathers against the treetops. He instantly relaxed. “Just a lantern bird. Harmless.” 

Except for the fact that Duloks routinely hunted and _ate_ the creatures…so there was an even greater possibility there could be one near by.

The pools of murky brown water bubbled and oozed sour gasses, making his stomach churn.

_Maybe this was a terrible idea._

Thunder boomed and he jolted, tightening his grip on the blaster in his hand.

Another lantern bird flew overhead and his pulse quickened. “Just a bit further,” he whispered. He could see the clearing now. It was only several hundred feet away. He felt Remus’ body brush against him; he was sticking to him like glue.

A sickening, gurgling sound broke the silence and he whipped around just in time to see a hideous, massive, slimy-green creature rise from the sludge and clasp onto the boy’s leg.

“AHHHH!” Remus screamed, frantically kicking his feet at the thing, flopping to his stomach and scrambling to grab hold of the rocks and protruding roots underneath him. Sirius fired his blaster at the Dulok, shooting a hole right through its chest. The creature let out a wounded cry and he shot it again and again until it released its grip and sank back down into the muddy waters.

Sirius rushed over and grabbed Remus by the hands, yanking him back up on the shore.

The boy coughed and wheezed and curled into a ball on his side, his entire, mud-covered body trembling. “What…the fuck…was _that_ …?”

“A Dulok.”

“Shit,” Remus gasped. “Positively nightmarish.”

Sirius quickly yanked him up to standing by the shoulders, holding him up; there was no time to fall apart. “Are you okay, though? Nothing broken?”

“I don’t think so,” Remus panted, and then his eyes grew huge as he gaped at something just beyond Sirius’ head.

Sirius whipped around to see another Dulok hovering over him—but it was too late! He flung himself on top of the boy, shielding him with his body as the creature opened its hideous mouth, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth dripping with yellow goo. Suddenly, the _child_ sprung forth from the pack on his back and raised its tiny hands. The humid air crackled with electricity and the Dulok froze, blinking its yellow eyes in confusion. The _child_ thrust its hands forward dramatically and the Dulok flew straight up and out of the water and back against a tree trunk with a sickening crunch of bone and flesh; it fell into the water with a splash, disappearing from sight.

“What…the…fuck,” Remus wheezed from underneath him.

Sirius was still staring at the bubbling water with his mouth hanging up. He flicked his eyes to the _child_ , who looked completely exhausted, and collapsed onto a mossy rock.

“I think your little pet might be more than meets the eye,” he murmured.

~~~

They made it back to camp just as the flood gates opened. It was like a monsoon.

They quickly scrambled up their ladder, with Remus slipping a few times, nearly giving Sirius a heart attack. He hovered behind him the rest of the way up, caging him in between his arms.

Finally, they crawled up on the porch and under the shelter of the hut’s thatched awning.

Remus ducked inside the tiny house and promptly started stripping off his clothes.

Sirius’ heart rioted as he watched him with wide eyes and chattering teeth.

“What are you _doing_?!” the boy hollered. “You’re gonna get sick standing out there! Come inside!”

Sirius exhaled shakily and stood resolutely in place.   


Not only was Remus stripped down to his underwear right in front of him, but he would be expected to do the same, and in _very_ close quarters.

“C’mon,” Remus huffed, grabbing hold of his arm and yanking him through the doorway.

Sirius shivered and took off his pack, carefully pulling the _child_ out and setting him in a hammock. The creature shook the water off its head and then collapsed backwards, clearly spent from his one and only display of power.

Sirius unfastened his cloak and hung it on a wooden peg, then started tugging his boots off very slowly.

The boy was wandering around the hut in only his underpants, muttering to himself and shivering. “We need…a fire…” he chattered.

“I’ll make one,” Sirius replied, “just let me get these wet clothes off first.” He flicked his eyes around nervously, looking for something to replace them with, when he noticed a stack of blankets in a wicker basket. “There are blankets over there,” he said, nodding towards the basket as he undid his belt.

“Oh! B-b-b-rilliant,” Remus stuttered.

Sirius proceeded to peel his soaked breeches off, feeling embarrassingly exposed, but the boy was busy digging through a small cabinet, now swaddled in a grey blanket.

Sirius snatched a blanket out of the basket and quickly wrapped it around himself, sliding his wet briefs down and off from underneath it.

 _Now_ he could breathe.

He went over to the clay pot in the center of the room, which thankfully already had firewood and kindling inside of it, and set to work getting two pieces of flint to make a spark. His survival training would finally be put to good use.

The fire was blazing in no time and he’d never felt so relieved to be off the ground _and_ warm _—_ even if he was practically naked and sharing a treehouse with a stranger and his pet.

He started to smile.

Though, they didn’t _seem_ like strangers to him anymore...It was amazing how quickly they’d become _familiar_.

Remus stood next to him, their shoulders barely grazing, and sighed, tightening the grey blanket around himself.

The rain continued to beat against the thatched roof but it stayed nice and cozy inside their little hut. 

Sirius almost felt giddy and he didn’t know why.

The hammocks were much too small to sleep in, but there was enough room on the floor to curl up. He spread out some furs he’d found in the wicker basket, and they both sat down, knee to knee, and close to the fire.

“What an adventure,” Remus murmured, gazing into the dancing flames.

“Yeah, I guess it was,” Sirius replied thoughtfully.

He’d never really thought of escaping death as an _adventure_ , but then again, he’d never quite enjoyed being in danger like he had that day. Of course he would have felt very differently if things had ended _badly_ , but they hadn’t, and it made him want to smile.

“I can’t believe baby Yoda killed that Dulok…I had no idea he had those kinds of powers,” Remus said.

“Neither did I…I’ve never seen one so small do something like that.”

“I guess he really is the _real_ Yoda after all…”

“What do you mean?”

He turned his head to the side and stared at him, furrowing his brows, and Remus smirked back, his brown eyes dancing.

“It’s another one of those things I wouldn’t understand, isn’t it?”

“Yep,” the boy replied, grinning smugly.

They both turned to stare at the flames and their shoulders pressed together firmly. 

_Did he move even closer to me?_

Sirius suddenly felt very warm all over…and it had _nothing_ to do with his close proximity to the fire.

It was a peculiar sensation, but an _enjoyable_ one…

The heat seemed to be emanating straight from his heart.

***


	7. Taking Flight

***

~R~

Remus was once again woken by the jarring sound of the morning horns being blown.

_Can’t those goddamn Ewoks ever let anyone sleep in?!_

He groaned and tried to roll to his back but found he couldn’t. Something was blocking him. He lifted his head and glanced back.

It was Sirius.

Spooning him from behind with his arm wrapped snugly, _possessively,_ around his waist with his hand splayed out and pressed against his chest.

Remus started to grin.

_Just like old times._

He closed his eyes and sighed, not daring to wake the man up. He would savor the moment for as long as possible.

There was a loud thud making them both flinch and causing Sirius to snatch his arm back and recoil.

Baby Yoda had jumped down from his hammock and was waddling towards them.

“Morning sunshine,” Remus smirked, turning his head to look at the man.

A look of horror flashed across Sirius’ pale face. He grimaced, wrapping his blanket more tightly around himself, and pushed himself up to standing.

Remus smirked and was half-tempted to just throw open his own blanket and fully expose himself—the _real_ Sirius would have pounced at the opportunity, but he restrained himself, doubtful that _this_ Sirius would be so bold. 

“Sleep well?” he asked, gingerly standing up, feeling the previous day’s adventure in every aching muscle.

“I think so,” Sirius grunted, brushing his tousled, black hair out of his eyes.

Baby Yoda tugged on the man’s blanket and then touched a tiny hand to its own pot-belly.

“I think the little one’s hungry, dearest,” Remus said, then promptly turned bright red and flicked his eyes to the floor.

Sirius cleared his throat. “Fine. Let’s get dressed first.” He looked around the room, frowning. “Where are our clothes?”

“Oh, I hung them outside to dry last night…after it’d stopped raining. I went out to take a piss—sure hope there weren't any Ewoks underneath our tree—And—"

“Good,” Sirius interrupted, ducking through the doorway and stepping out onto the porch, looking like an irritable, brown bat.

Remus chuckled to himself and stared down at the burning embers glowing faintly at the bottom of the fire pot.

It felt like he was wooing Sirius all over again. Though, technically this would be the _first_ time. He’d pretty much always been enamored with the man in _real life._ It had only taken Sirius realizing he’d wanted him too for them to finally come together. And once the man had realized it, he came on _strong_ …scaring the crap out of Remus sometimes with his almost _animalistic_ pursuit.

But now the tables had turned.

Maybe this scenario was some kind of karmic payback, he thought. Maybe he was finally going to be the one to make Sirius Black squirm.

***

~S~

Sirius quickly dressed and started climbing down the ladder, the _child_ already strapped to his back. “I’ll meet you down there!” he hollered.

“Okay!” Remus hollered back.

Sirius practically slid the rest of the way down.

He needed to put _space_ between them.

Waking up like that…touching him like that...it was making him feel too much.

_Way too much._

What in the world had possessed him to snuggle up to him in the middle of the night in the first place? He’d never slept with another human a day in his life…

Yet this had somehow felt oddly familiar.

_Too familiar._

It made his head spin.

He took a deep inhale of the clean, fresh morning air and slowly exhaled through his nose.

What he needed was a plan.

He’d been gone for _days_ now…and doing what? Playing tour guide to the boy and his pet? Why was he stalling? He knew what he eventually had to do. His very life depended upon it. And yet…he just didn’t even want to think about it. It was like a door shut right in his face. He’d deal with it when he had to…whenever _that_ was.

Right now, he needed food.

He walked over to a group of Ewoks, nodded, and scooped some slop in a bowl. The Ewoks smiled and pointed at the _child_ and the _child_ cooed back, grinning stupidly. If they only knew what the little green thing was really capable of, he thought. Yet another thing that baffled him and something he should be more concerned about...

The creature had clearly channeled the _Force_.

He walked back to the table, pulled the backpack off, and sat the _child_ down, handing it the bowl. The creature wasted no time sticking its face inside and eagerly lapping up the contents.

“Any of that left?”

It was Remus, walking towards them…or more like _sauntering_.

Sirius’ heart gave a jolt and he felt his face grow hot. “I’ll get you some,” he blurted out, eager to put more distance between them.

Remus smiled broadly at him, making his legs feel strangely weak.

_Keep it together…keep it together…_

Eventually, they both sat down across from each other and silently began to eat. Sirius kept glancing up at the boy, observing the way his jaw worked as he chewed…the unruly strands of copper hair sticking straight up on top of his head…and the way he delicately held the bowl in his hands like it was something breakable.

Remus looked up and stared back, his brown eyes smoldering.

Was that the right word?

Yes, definitely _smoldering_.

Sirius squirmed in his seat and gulped, his brain going completely numb.

“So,” Remus said, slowly licking his pink lips. “What’s on the agenda for today? More Duloks? More baby Yoda saving our lives?” he crooned at the creature, patting the top of its hairy head. The _child_ shot him an adoring look, blinking its large, black eyes.

“Erm…I hadn’t really _planned_ anything,” Sirius replied, unable to tear his eyes away from Remus' face.

“Well, we could go to that lake…”

“It’s a half a days journey…”

“Mmm, maybe not then. I’m still pretty sore from yesterday,” Remus said, rolling his shoulders back and stretching his neck from side to side. “So maybe we should just explore close by.”

“Suits me.”

“What do Ewoks do for fun, anyway?”

Sirius started to grin.

“What?” the boy pressed, scrunching his brows.

“Hang-glide.”

“Really?! Can we go? Oh, please! Can we?!”

A thrill went up Sirius’ spine at his excitement, but he tried to control his face.

“We can go and _watch_.”

“They won’t let us try?”

“You honestly think you should be jumping off a cliff, trying to _fly_?”

Remus huffed and rolled his eyes. “Well I flew a _starfighter_ and didn’t die…and I almost got eaten by a Ducock.”

“Dulok.”

“Du _lok_. So I think the odds are in my favor.”

“Yes, they always seem to be,” he mused, resting his chin in his hand and gazing at him.

Remus pursed his lips and leaned towards him, his mouth just a few inches away. “I think baby Yoda brings good luck,” he whispered conspiratorially.

“If you say so,” Sirius replied calmly.

While inwardly, his heart was threatening to pound right out of his chest.  


***

~R~

“Fucking brilliant!” Remus exclaimed as he watched an Ewok take a running leap off a cliff and soar down a ravine, the leathery wings of its hang-glider resembling a giant condor. “My turn!” he said rushing forward. 

Sirius snatched a handful of his tunic and yanked him back forcibly.

“I don’t think so.”

“Aw, come on, just one try?” he begged, batting his eyelashes for good measure—it used to work on the _old_ Sirius.

Sirius shot him a perturbed look. “Absolutely not.”

“What if we take it down a _hill_ and not a cliff?”

“You’d still crash the thing.”

“You don’t know that. What if we went _together_?”

The man narrowed his eyes.

“Let me see,” Sirius huffed, before walking over to a group of Ewoks who were standing in front of a large glider. He spoke Ewokese to them for a few minutes and then returned, frowning. 

“They said we can borrow it but _no_ cliff diving. We’ll have to carry it out to the hills and use it there.”

Remus lit up and clasped his hands together. “Excellent!”

“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” the man grumbled, swiping his hair back irritably.

“Live a little!” Remus said, bumping against his shoulder and walking towards the glider.

They huffed and puffed as they carried the contraption nearly a mile away. Remus’ arms were just about ready to give out.

_So much for taking it easy._

But he was too excited to care. He’d always wanted to try hang-gliding.

“Let’s park it here,” Sirius said, coming to a stop and setting the thing down, breathing hard. “And the _child_ should probably stay here, too.”

Remus laughed just as baby Yoda reached out a tiny hand and pinched Sirius on the shoulder.

“OW! I thought we agreed no pinching?” he hissed.

“No, he agreed no _biting_ ,” Remus said, “and actually, he never really agreed to anything.”

Sirius huffed and leaned towards the edge of the hill, peering down.

“You never know, he might save our lives again,” Remus grinned. “And you have done this before, right?”

“No.”

“Well, I guess we’ll just wing it then. Get it, _wing_ it—"

“I get it,” the man snapped. “We’ll need to back it up and get a good run in first. Ready?”

“Ready.”

They pulled the glider back by about a hundred feet.

“Run as fast as you can and try and raise your arms above your head. The hill has a good slope so it should work…and then…I guess we’ll just see what happens.”

“Got it,” Remus said, taking a deep breath and glancing sideways at the man, his stomach filling with butterflies.

“Ready?”

“Ready!”

They took off running at an all-out sprint, the wind immediately catching the wings and jerking their arms straight up.

And then the ground suddenly disappeared from beneath them.

“AHHHH!” they both screamed as they dangled from the contraption, their legs kicking against thin air.

Remus expected to promptly do a nose dive into the ground, but instead, the wind held them up and glided them forward gently over green hills as time seemed to slow down.

“WOO-HOO!” Sirius belted next to him, his black hair whipping in the wind, making him look even more god-like.

Remus barked out a laugh and then they were both whooping and laughing, high on more than adrenaline.

The ground was rapidly approaching and Remus suddenly realized they hadn’t discussed _landing_. Sirius’ feet hit the earth first but there was still too much momentum from the wings and they were flung forward, tearing through grass and dirt and skidding to a stop on their stomachs.

“Fucking brilliant!” Remus hollered, spitting dirt and grass out of his mouth. He rolled to his back and started laughing uncontrollably. Sirius rolled to his side and did the same as Baby Yoda peeped his head out of the backpack and chirped.

“We didn’t die,” Sirius groaned, pushing himself up to sitting.

“Wanna go again?” Remus asked, wiping the tears from under his eyes.

The man smiled wolfishly, just like the _real_ Sirius, and jumped up, holding out his hand.

Remus smiled and took it, getting swiftly pulled up with a groan, and then started brushing the grass off his clothes.

“Oh, you’re bleeding,” Sirius said, lightly brushing his fingertips over a spot on his neck.

Remus stilled under his touch, suddenly having a vision of the _real_ Sirius doing the _exact_ _same_ _thing_.

_Scratches…scars…_

“I was a werewolf!” he blurted out.

“What?”

“I used to be covered in scars!” Remus exclaimed. He absently touched his face with his fingertips, running them down his neck and over his chest. 

How had he forgotten what he used to be? Why did it seem so hazy? It seemed the longer he stayed in this realm the blurrier his memories of his other life were becoming.

“When?” Sirius asked, concern etched between his brows.

“Before this. I was different... _cursed_. But you…you never left me,” he said, stepping closer and peering up at him, so many memories flooding his brain. The Shrieking Shack. The full moon…the running and running; the horrific _changing_.

Sirius stared down at him with an intense expression, his blue eyes unwavering, and then he reached his hand up and wiped a smudge of dirt off his cheekbone. “You could never be cursed,” he murmured.

Remus’ heart began to melt and he desperately wanted to throw his arms around the man’s neck, kiss him passionately, and never let go.

But he didn’t want to scare him off.

“Sorry,” he muttered. “Just memories. Anyway, d’you wanna go again?”

Sirius nodded. “We’ll have a better landing this time,” he said, a heart-stopping grin sliding up his face.   


***


	8. What We Once Were

***

~S~

Sirius could tell Remus was completely exhausted; he could barely make it back to camp, and more than once he nearly offered to carry him. But that would just seem ridiculous.

He caught a whiff of food cooking and felt slightly revived. The Ewoks had already lit the evening fires.

“Why don’t we eat in our hut tonight?” he asked, getting a sudden and unexpected thrill from the word _our_.

“Okay,” Remus breathed, his eyes half-closed and his shoulders drooping.

And something in Sirius’ heart ached.

“I’ll help you get up the ladder and then I’ll bring the food up,” he said, taking hold of his forearm and guiding him forward.

It took them twice as long to get up the ladder than usual, but surprisingly, Sirius wasn't the least bit irritated by it. He felt a strange surge of heat and pleasure every time Remus stopped to catch his breath and leaned into him, his heaving back pressed snugly against his chest.

After getting him and the _child_ settled in the hut, Sirius went back down to camp to get some grub.

He filled a sack with some hearty bread rolls, a slab of cooked meat, some water, and a small jug of sunberry wine.

When he returned, he found the _child_ passed out on his hammock snoring softly, and the boy, curled up on the rug like a cat.

He smiled and ducked inside the doorway, setting the food down on the table.

“You hungry?” he asked, crouching down and gently shaking Remus' arm.

“Mmm, yes,” he murmured, slowly pushing himself up to sitting and rubbing his eyes.

“I even got you some sunberry wine,” Sirius said proudly, holding up the jug.

Remus grinned sleepily and stood up. “Thank you, lov—I mean, _thanks_.”

He handed him a roll and smiled.

He’d been _smiling_ more lately than ever in his entire life. His cheeks were getting sore.

“Oh, we should put some medicine on your cuts,” he said, moving to the wall where an assortment of small jars were stacked on a shelf. “Ewoks have a knack for healing. They use all kinds of herbs and potions. Logray, the chief shaman of the village, teaches them how to make antidotes.”

Remus grunted and continued eating his roll.

Sirius pulled the stopper out of a jar and inhaled. It smelled minty. “This one should do the trick. I’m pretty sure it’s their special healing balm.”

“ _Pretty_ sure?” Remus asked, crumbs falling out of his mouth.

Sirius smirked and walked towards him. “It’s not _poison_.” He reached his hand out and gently smeared some ointment across the cut on his neck. Remus went very still and peered up at him with round eyes, his pupils like two black marbles.

And Sirius instantly felt hot and flustered all over. He pulled his hand back. “Is that the only cut?”

Remus shook his head and started pulling his tunic up his bare stomach, all the way to his pecs, revealing multiple gashes and two long, red welts running down the length of his abs.

“We should have worn better clothing,” Sirius sighed, angry at himself for letting it happen in the first place. His own shirt was much thicker and made to withstand rough treatment. Remus' was so thin.

“It’s okay…It’ll heal.”

“Take your shirt off.”

Remus stared at him blankly for a moment then quickly stuffed the rest of the bread in his mouth before tugging the tunic up and over his head.

Sirius could literally feel his heart beating in his throat. He swallowed hard and scooped more of the green gel out of the jar with his finger, hesitating for a moment before touching Remus' skin, and when he did, his breath caught in his chest. He tried not to linger with his fingertips, but it was very difficult; Remus' skin was so soft and warm.

He carefully smeared the ointment across each cut, going much slower than was necessary, desperately wanting to grab hold of him with his other hand to steady him. Remus was breathing so heavy, his nostrils flaring as he gazed down at a spot on the floor.

_Maybe he's not enjoying this…_

When Sirius lightly skimmed his fingertips over the welts on his abs, the boy’s stomach quivered and covered in goose bumps. “M’ ticklish,” Remus muttered, his cheeks turning even more pink.

Sirius swallowed hard and pulled his hand away, stoppering the jar and setting it back on the shelf, desperately trying to remember how to breathe in and out.

He turned around to find Remus with his arms raised above his head, shrugging his tunic back on, his sharp hipbones protruding over the waistband of his breeches. And that little strip of copper hair that ran from his navel down to…

Sirius forced out a labored exhale and tore his eyes away.

They both sat down at the table and began to eat in awkward silence.

But something was definitely _different_.

Something new and exhilarating crackled between them.

Something that made it simultaneously hard to breathe and yet hard to look away.   


The evening horns sounded and the night bugs chirped louder as the _child_ continued to snore softly in his hammock.

And Sirius suddenly felt very heartsick and strange.

He watched the boy for a long moment; Remus was busy trying to pick up every last morsel of bread on the table.

_He must still be hungry._

He felt angry at himself yet again. He should have brought him more food.

“Let’s sit outside,” he felt himself saying as he scooted his chair back.

Remus glanced up at him, his eyes going wide with surprise. “Okay.”

Sirius handed him the jug of sunberry wine and smirked.

He walked to the porch and pulled a cigarra out of his pocket—thank _god_ the Ewoks had a stash because he'd already burned through his own. He held it up to the torchlight and caught the tip on fire, quickly placing it between his lips and inhaling, instantly feeling more relaxed.

“What’s that?” Remus asked.

“A cigarra. Dried herbs. Wanna try it?”

“Sure, why not.” the boy said, carefully taking it from him. He placed it between his lips and took a deep inhale, closing his eyes, and then slowly blew out the smoke.

Sirius couldn’t tear his eyes away from his mouth.

“Looks like you’ve had one before,” he murmured.

“Of a sort,” Remus grinned, handing it back to him. “You have a _thing_ for them…the _other_ you, I mean.”

Sirius took another deep inhale and leaned against the wall of the hut, sliding down to sit on the floor.

Remus did the same next to him, stretching his legs out and uncorking his jug of wine, taking a deep gulp.

~~~

“You don’t want any?” Remus asked.

“I like to keep my wits about me…”

“You weren’t _always_ that way…” Remus muttered, his face already flushed.

Sirius frowned.

“The coconut rum? Year six?”

“No.”

“‘ _We’ll weather the storms like the—‘"_

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Sirius snapped, suddenly irritated and strangely jealous of this _other him_ that Remus knew so well. He huffed and shot him a sideways glance. “Okay, fine,” he said, snatching the jug from his hands and tilting his head back, taking a deep gulp. After he’d finished, he wiped his mouth on his sleeve and leaned his head back against the wall.

“Better?” Remus asked.

“Better.” And he couldn’t help but smirk.

“You know, red’s a really good color on you,” Remus said, turning to face him, staring at his mouth and then grinning as their knees bumped together.

Sirius suddenly felt very self-conscious and wiped his mouth again, squirming against the wall.

“No use…they’re _stained_ ,” the boy murmured seductively, his hooded eyes growing dark as he slowly leaned in towards him.

Sirius’ pulse quickened.

_What’s he doing?!_

“Maybe you’d remember if we…”

Sirius licked his lips and stared directly at Remus' mouth. It was awfully close. He could feel his warm, sweet breath blowing against his skin; the scent of sunberries going straight to his head and making him dizzy. Or maybe that was because of the _wine_ he’d just gulped down…

“If we what?” he felt himself murmur, wetting his lips with his tongue.

“You _know_ …”

An intoxicating beat passed between them.

“Show me.”

In less than a second, Remus smashed their lips together, falling into him and gripping the tops of his shoulders, digging his fingers in.

And something exploded in Sirius’ chest, like a blaster to the heart.

His body caught fire and he grasped the boy’s neck between his hands, yanking him down harder and shoving his tongue inside his mouth.

Everything seemed to slow down and speed up at the same time…

And the visceral ache inside his belly grew to a fever pitch.

Everything was pulsing. Everything was screaming for more.

Remus straddled his lap and slid his hands up his neck, digging his fingers deep into his hair, tugging needily, _expertly_ —like he’d done it a million times before—and Sirius couldn’t contain the deep groan welling up in his chest. It all felt too…too… _something_.

_Too right._

_Too familiar._

Remus clasped his face between warm palms as their tongues crashed together again and again.

He could feel himself shaking but he didn’t care.

He’d never felt anything so _real_ in his entire life.

He’d never _wanted_ something so much in his entire life.

The boy’s mouth, his roaming hands, his sweet smell, the warmth and familiarity of his skin…It was intoxicating.    


They were a frantic tangle of arms and legs and rolled too close to the edge of the porch, suddenly jolting Sirius back to his senses. He stiffened and pulled back, gasping for air. Remus lifted his head off the floor, straining for his mouth again, but Sirius held him back, pushing him down with his palms pressed to his chest. “I’m sorry,” he breathed. “I shouldn’t have done that…I don’t know what came over me.”

He leaned back on his haunches and quickly pushed himself to standing.

“But…you didn’t do anything _wrong_ …” Remus panted, staring up at him with wide, glassy eyes, his swollen lips parted.

“I’m not who you think I am.”

“I know you don’t remember yet…but maybe one day you will and—”

“No—that’s _not_ what I’m talking about,” he huffed, swiping his hair back irritably.

“Then I don’t understand.”

“No, you don’t!” he snapped. “That’s the problem!” He grabbed hold of the ladder and started climbing down in a fury.

“Where are you going?” Remus shouted, leaning his head over the edge and peering down at him, his voice laced with pain.

“I just need to be alone,” Sirius yelled back.

He locked his feet onto the sides of the ladder and slid the rest of the way down.

And as soon as his boots hit the dirt, he was off running.

***

~R~

Remus sat cross-legged, leaning against the hut wall, and staring off into the distance.

This dream was turning into more of a _nightmare_.

He closed his eyes and exhaled.

Would Sirius ever remember what they were to each other?

What if he never did?

Then it really would be a _nightmare_.

Because what was the point of being anywhere if they couldn’t be what they once were?

He pulled his knees up to his chin and hugged them tight, feeling as if his heart were splitting in two. Silent tears streamed down his cheeks as he pressed his face into his arm.

And for the first time since being there, he desperately wanted to wake up.

***

~S~

Sirius didn’t know where he was going, only that he needed to get away and get his head on straight.

He was a complete disaster.

If the Emperor only knew what he’d been doing with his time…he would kill him himself, without a second thought.

He was disposable after all.

 _Disposable_.

Then why did he put so much faith in what the man thought?

Why did he guard him like a loyal lap dog?

When he knew deep down that his feelings of loyalty were not reciprocated…

The Emperor didn’t _care_ about him.

He didn’t feel _safe_ with the Emperor.

Powerful, useful, _important_ , yes. But not safe.

Not happy.

And definitely not cared for.

All things he never even knew he desired.

Not until he’d met the boy.

He climbed up on a moss-covered log and sat down.

He knew he was going to have to make a choice...

And it scared the hell out of him.

He already knew which way his heart was leaning. It was too late. But all of his training, all of his conditioning was screaming for him to go in the opposite direction. To just finish the job he came to do and move on. No one would have to know he’d slipped up…literally started _falling_ for his target. Things would go back to the way they were…

But did he really _want_ things to go back to the way they were?

He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed, tilting his head back and staring up at the endless canopy of trees.

He inhaled deeply and let the air out very slowly, just like he’d been trained to do in situations of tension.

_I am a stormtrooper. My skin is my armor. My face is my—_

He couldn’t finish.

The unspoken words getting trapped in his throat.

He started to choke.

Panic flooded his veins.

And then, _of all things,_ he started to cry; the moisture in his eyes feeling entirely foreign.

He hadn’t cried since he was a child…not since his parents had been killed… _right in front of him._

He wrapped his arms around his knees and buried his face in his cloak, unable to stop the flood of emotions.

***

~R~

Remus was sitting in the hut, absently sorting through a bowl of sunberries by torchlight, picking off the stems, when he heard the creak of the ladder and peered outside.

Sirius was standing on the porch like a great black, ominous bat.

Even in the semi-darkness he could see that the man’s eyes looked puffy and red.

He immediately got up and went to him, his stomach twisting. 

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing...I…I mean, _everything_ ,” Sirius replied, his voice full of emotion.

Remus’ heart ached fiercely, threatening to burn a whole in his chest. He swiftly closed the distance between them and reached his hand up, cupping the side of Sirius' face as he always used to, rubbing his thumb gently over his cheekbone, back and forth, and searching in his eyes.

Sirius stared down at him, exhaling shakily, and then closed his eyes and leaned into his hand, his entire body relaxing.

Remus’ heart exploded in his chest. That’s _exactly_ what the _real_ Sirius always did—lean into his touch and close his eyes as if it were the most wonderful sensation in the entire world; like a loyal dog, reveling in his master’s touch.

“I want to be with you,” Sirius breathed, his eyes still closed. “And I don’t understand it…I don’t understand anything anymore…but I know what I want…even if it’s only for a short while.”

Remus clutched onto the man’s hand hanging limp by his side and squeezed it.

Sirius opened his watery eyes and stared down at him.

“I want that, too,” Remus breathed. “So much.”

Sirius’ whole countenance seemed to sigh. He reached up and tenderly clasped his face between both large palms, staring deeply in his eyes for a moment, before roughly smashing their lips together as if he were starving; he ran his hands down his arms and around his back, enveloping him completely inside his cloak, their lips refusing to part.

Remus slid his arms around his warm, sturdy waist, pressing his entire body against him. Melting. He could feel the pound of the man’s heart against his own chest. It was rioting.

_He wants me...he wants me..._  


Sirius slipped his fingers into his hair, pushing it back off his face, and then tugged it gently, causing Remus’ whole body to shudder and go completely weak. He pressed up on his tip-toes and kissed him harder, reveling in the mouth, the lips, the _taste_ he’d achingly craved for so long. 

_Maybe he's remembering!_

Maybe it would all come back to him.

Maybe they could be what they once were.

But for now, this was enough…

Just to be with him was _enough_.

***


	9. Revelry

***

~S~

Sirius wasn’t the least bit surprised this time when he woke up and found Remus lying in his arms.

They’d kissed until their mouths gave out and passed out on the hut floor sometime during the wee hours of the morning.

He blinked his eyes several times, clearing away the sleep, and watched as the boy peacefully inhaled and exhaled, his chest rhythmically rising and falling.

His heart ached just from staring at him.

He lifted his hand and gently traced the lines of his face with his fingertips; over his cheekbones, across his copper-colored eyebrows, down his freckled nose, and over his berry-pink lips.

He couldn't help but smile wistfully.

_He's perfect...and he's mine...all mine._

He tenderly cupped the side of Remus' face, running his thumb over the delicate skin under his eye.

Maybe they could just live like this forever.

The Ewoks wouldn’t care. They could help them with their hunting and guard duties…He could single-handedly take out all the Duloks in the swamps for them…

Explore every nook and cranny of the forest moon with the boy…

They could build a life together.

Make it work.

Remus stirred in his arms, his swollen lips sliding up into a sleepy grin.

Sirius leaned towards him. “Morning sunshine,” he rasped, before gently kissing his mouth, getting just as much of a thrill as he did the very first time.

Remus tugged him closer with his eyes still closed, clasping his neck between warm palms, and sliding his leg over his hip.

Sirius grunted and kissed him harder, his hand absently trailing down Remus' side and slipping underneath his tunic, desperate to feel his skin again.

“I trust…you slept…well?” Remus asked between torturously slow, burning kisses.

“Mmm, I did,” he breathed, straining for his mouth again; he caught his bottom lip between his teeth and sucked.

Remus let out a gasp and clutched him tighter, digging his fingers into his biceps and writhing against him.

Sirius shivered and rolled them, pushing the boy back into the floor, holding him down with his hands and crawling on top of him. He hovered over him on all fours, his heart racing.

They stared at each other for a beat, the humid air crackling between them. 

Remus reached his hand up and clasped onto his chin, pressing his thumb into his lips and sliding it right inside his mouth and between his teeth.

Sirius stilled, automatically closing his eyes, and sucked, tasting his skin and feeling like every part of him was on fire, igniting from within; the small gesture more intoxicating than anything he ever could have imagined.

Remus trembled slightly underneath him and pulled his thumb back out of his mouth with a _pop_ , clasping onto the side of his face and tugging him down again, their lips crashing together and tongues colliding.

Sirius melted into him, losing all sense of time and space as their mouths and hands took control.

He could suddenly feel Remus’ hot, swollen cock pressed against his lower belly, and a sense of frenzy washed over him. He rubbed against him, gently grinding into his pelvis. The boy let out a surprised hiss and frantically ran his hands all over his back and up under his shirt.

There was a loud thud and they both flinched and froze.

“Christ!” Remus yelped, clutching onto his hips and tilting his head backwards.

Sirius looked up to see the _child,_ watching them curiously with unblinking black eyes. He'd clearly just jumped down from the hammock.

In his passion he’d completely forgotten they weren’t alone. “It’s _your_ pet,” he grumbled. “I’m sure it wants to eat.”

Remus groaned from underneath him and threw his arm dramatically over his face. “Can’t you just levitate some food up here?” he whined to the _child_.

The creature grinned mischievously and then raised its tiny hands in the air, closing its eyes tight and scrunching its face as if trying very hard to do just that. A moment passed and nothing happened, and he eventually fell back on his bottom, clearly spent.

“Well, it was worth a try,” Sirius muttered.

“He can throw a goddamn Dulok against a tree but he can’t summon a _bowl of porridge?_ ” Remus moaned.

Sirius chuckled and leaned down, finding his lips again and kissing him long and hard, relishing in the way he responded to him. “C’mon, let’s take _it_ down to eat,” he breathed, pulling away.

“You can’t expect me to move fast…when you kiss me like _that_ ,” the boy panted, his eyes still closed and a dreamy expression crossing his face. 

Sirius smirked and tugged on his arm, pulling him up to standing and helping him find his balance.

"Thanks,” Remus mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

Sirius grinned and walked out onto the porch, stretching his arms out, when he was promptly hit in the chest with a bowl full of Ewok porridge—the sticky goop splattering all over his black uniform and running down the front of his breeches. “What the—"  


Remus stepped outside and gaped at him for a moment before keeling over with laughter. “He did it…he _really_ did it…” he wheezed. 

The _child_ gleefully clapped its hands together and waddled over to him, swiping some of the slop off his boot, and then licked it excitedly off his stubby, green finger.

“I guess I underestimated him… _yet again_ ,” Sirius sighed.

***

~R~

“How come we haven’t seen the moon yet?” Remus asked, gazing up at the darkening blue and purple sky with a frown.

“Because we’re _on it_.”

“Oh…right,” he muttered, feeling his cheeks burn.

Sirius snickered and poked at the fire with a stick.

They’d spent the entire day exploring the camp, getting a guided tour from Chief Chirpa. Remus hadn’t a clue what the creature was saying the entire time, but at least Sirius could translate. They observed Ewoks making crude tools from rocks and wood; fashioning spears and sling-shots, cooking herbs, and tending to the younglings.

He learned there were about two-hundred Ewoks inhabiting _Bright Tree Village_ and that they referred to their particular forest as _Happy Grove_.

He thought the name was quite fitting. It was a very enjoyable place to be; he rather liked the Ewok’s slow pace of life and could see himself fitting right in…as long as Sirius was by his side, of course. And even baby Yoda, too. He felt a strange giddiness every time he thought of their little _family_. 

Excited shouts filled the camp and he whipped his head up to look. “What in the hell is _that_?” he asked, his eyes nearly bugging out.

“A Blurrg,” Sirius replied. “The Ewoks use them for hunting. They’re pretty ill-tempered, but they can pull heavy things and run fast, so they find them useful.”

Remus gaped at the hideous creature with the body of a T-rex and the face of a piranha. It came to a stop as the Ewok riding it pulled back on the reins, shouting something in Ewokese.

The creature was pulling a large wooden sled behind it.

A group of Ewoks gathered, thrusting their spears in the air excitedly, shouting and jumping up and down, and then the entire camp seemed to descend.

“Looks like they had a successful hunt,” Sirius mused.

“What’d they kill?”

“Mmm, looks like a Gurreck.”

“What’s that?”

“A native carnivore. Very dangerous.”

Remus curiously slipped his way through the crowds, trying to get a closer look. The _Gurreck_ looked like a giant, hairy spider; it had razor-sharp claws and protruding fangs at least a foot long. “Christ,” he murmured, a shiver going up his spine.

He turned around and bumped right into Sirius. The man smiled shyly and blushed, stepping out of the way.

“So they’re gonna eat that thing?”

“Yep. Doesn’t taste too bad. It’s pretty rare they take one down, though, so I’m sure they’ll throw a celebration feast.”

“Excellent! I’ve always wanted to eat a giant, hairy spider!” he said, elbowing Sirius in the ribs. The man laughed and retaliated by pinching his side.

Remus yelped and flinched away, grinning like a fool.

Sirius was _finally_ beginning to loosen up and act like his old self again and it made his heart positively race.

The Ewoks rushed forward, hastily pushing them out of the way as they drug the great, dead beast closer to the fire.

“How in the hell are they gonna cook that thing?”

“They’ll find a way,” Sirius smirked, crossing his arms. 

It seemed the entire village was rushing about, chattering excitedly, and making preparations for the special meal.

There was the sound of a sickening crack and black liquid shot straight up in the air, coming down and splattering the front of their clothes.

“That would be one of the legs,” Sirius said casually, wiping the front of his shirt, but only managing to smear the stuff in even further and staining his hands black. 

“I’m guessing this is _blood_?” Remus asked in a quavery voice, feeling his stomach churn as his hands hovered a few inches over his chest. He wasn't about to touch the stuff. 

“Yeah,” the man grimaced. “Stains like a bitch.”

Remus stared at him for a moment and then burst out laughing, clutching his sides and bending over. “God, I _love_ you,” he breathed, wiping the tears from under his eyes.

Sirius froze and stared at him, his blue eyes wide.

“I mean…I…you _know_ what I mean.”

The man reached out with his black-stained hand and clutched a handful of his tunic, yanking him forward roughly and pressing down into his lips. 

_Holy shit!_

Remus’ breath got caught in his chest and his brain exploded. 

He couldn’t believe how _forward_ Sirius was being—and right in front of everyone! Though he wasn’t sure a village of cracked-out, three-foot tall _bears_ qualified as “everyone”—but still. He was being openly affectionate and that was _huge_.

Electrified, he pushed up on his toes and kissed him back just as savagely, pressing himself fully into his body and wrapping his arms around his waist.

Sirius clutched him tighter and shoved his tongue inside his mouth, making him completely wilt and feel like they were the only two people in the world…or on the _moon_.

After a dizzying moment, Sirius pulled back, panting hard, and cupped his face between warm hands. 

“Wow,” Remus breathed, clutching onto his sides and sucking in air.

“Yeah.”

Sirius leaned down and kissed him again, gently, _tenderly_ , and Remus’ whole body enlivened, more than ready for round two, but the man pulled back and held him at bay, pressing his thumb into his bottom lip. “I think we should eat something and then go some place _private_ ,” Sirius said with half-closed eyes and flaring nostrils as he stared fixedly at his mouth.

Remus’ heart sputtered as well as his cock.

What was he suggesting?

He didn’t care. Whatever it was, the answer was “yes”. Most definitely _yes_. A thousand times _yes_.

“Okay.”

They separated and he followed Sirius in a daze, walking over to the tables full of food.

The smell of cooking meat filled the air as the Ewoks expertly roasted small parts of the Gurreck over the fire—clearly how they accomplished such a monumental task.

Sirius handed him a wooden bowl, smirking.

Remus blushed and quickly took it.

_So much for trying to make him nervous._

Even on a different planet, in a _different life_ , the man still made his knees irreparably weak and his brain fuzzy.

“Here, try some of this,” Sirius said, taking hold of a ladle from a giant stone pot.

A female Ewok stood behind the table and kindly smiled at them, her brown eyes twinkling.

“What is it?”

“Special green gravy they make for feasts. It’s made with Endorian herbs. Tastes pretty good.”

“Alright." He reluctantly held out his bowl as Sirius ladled the green slop inside.

They gathered some bread and berries and walked closer to the fire.

“You have to at least _try_ some Gurreck meat,” Sirius said, his eyes shining in the firelight.

“Oh, fine,” Remus huffed. At this point, he’d do pretty much _anything_ the man said.

Sirius went over to a group of Ewok hunters, talking to them for a moment, and then came back with a plateful of meat.

They sat down on the ground, cross-legged, and leaned against a log, holding their supper in their laps.

Remus dipped his finger in the green gravy and then hesitantly stuck it in his mouth. It wasn’t bad. Very herby, slightly salty, but _filling_ nonetheless. It was like a thick, green potato soup.

“S’not bad,” he said, holding the bowl up to his mouth and slurping it down.

“Told you,” Sirius smirked, bumping their knees together. “Now try the Gurreck,” he insisted, holding out a piece and waggling it between his fingers.

Remus hesitantly took it and popped it in his mouth, closing his eyes and fully expecting to spit it right back out. But it wasn’t bad either. Better than the boar-wolf, in fact.

“Never thought a _spider_ could taste so good,” he mumbled around his mouthful.

Sirius snickered and took a bite of the meat. “As long as you don’t think about _what_ you’re eating, it’s fine.” He proceeded to suck the grease off his thumb and Remus’ eyes immediately locked on his mouth.

All he wanted to do was kiss that sweet mouth.

_All the fucking time._

Would it be crazy to just tackle him right then and there? Crawl on top of him and claim those lips?

He felt his ears burn and looked away.

He wouldn’t have been brave enough to do that with the _old_ Sirius…but then again, he did feel less inhibited here.

“Do you want something to drink or—"

Remus lunged towards him, clasping his face between his hands, and kissed him hard on the mouth, tasting the Gurreck, and the gravy…and _heaven_.

To his relief, Sirius kissed him back just as desperately, his hands gripping hold of his biceps tightly as he surged up against him.

And Remus felt like he could die happily, right then and there.

Simply drown in their fire with no regrets.

It would be the best way to go.

After a moment, or maybe an hour, they separated, breathing hard with wide eyes.

“Sorry, you were saying?” Remus murmured, still holding onto Sirius' exquisite face with no intention of letting go.

Sirius swallowed hard and absently brushed his warm fingertips across his cheekbone. “I…something about a drink…”

“Oh, right. Sure, I’ll take something to drink.”

After a long beat of silence Remus pulled back and stared at the man.

Sirius’ eyes were closed and his black brows furrowed deeply, like he was concentrating very hard. Simultaneously in pain and bliss. 

Remus knew that look.

He’d seen it a million times before.

Sirius Black was horny as fuck.

And possibly punch-drunk in _love_.

_Hopefully in love._

He wanted to laugh out loud with giddiness, but instead, he squeezed the man’s knee until he fluttered his eyes open.

“Drinks…right…I’ll go and get us some,” he murmured before taking a shaky inhale and licking his lips.

Remus wanted to attack him again.

Sirius wobbly got up and walked back over to the tables of food, shortly returning with a large jug in hand.

“Might as well celebrate,” he said with a shrug, his lips sliding up into a moon-exploding sexy grin.

Remus felt faint as he gazed up at him, his eyes wandering down the length of his black-clad body, all the way to his cock—which he knew without a doubt was halfway between flaccid and rock-hard. Maybe more than halfway.

As if feeling his penetrating gaze, Sirius shifted uneasily on his feet.

_And those fucking boots!_

Goddamn.

Sirius looked good in absolutely _anything_ …or nothing at all…but even so, nothing compared to this get-up. Remus never tired of admiring him in it…fitted black breeches that hugged his long, muscular thighs; hot-as-fuck, black knee-high boots, and a long-sleeved black top that accentuated his broad chest and shoulders and made his blue eyes pop…He was simply a _dream_ in black. 

Sirius slowly sat down next to him, even closer this time, and uncorked the jug.

Remus watched in awe as he threw his head back and took a long chug, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down with each sinful swallow. Clearly, he wasn’t playing around.

“So much for keeping your _wits_ about you,” he leaned in and whispered by his ear, trying his best to sound seductive.

Sirius immediately stiffened and closed his eyes, exhaling hard through his nose before turning to stare at him.

_Blue eyes on fire._

Or maybe it was just the _literal_ _reflection_ off the bonfire.

Either way, the man was carnally hungry.

 _Finally_.

Remus smirked back and pried the jug from his hands, taking a long, deep gulp. It was the best tasting thing on the forest moon and he would never grow tired of it. Sweet yet bitter, smooth going down, but packing a punch when it hit your stomach. It made him feel free and giddy and completely at ease.

_Just like Sirius._

The Ewoks started pounding on their drums, shaking tambourines and chanting, as the younglings began dancing around the fire excitedly.

“Shit! Where’s baby Yoda?” he yelped, momentarily coming to his senses.

“He’s fine,” Sirius said, pointing.

The _child_ was being carried around and coddled by a female Ewok. She was spoon feeding him green gravy and he looked about ready to devour the bowl, and possibly her _face_ , if she didn’t hurry up.

He threw his head back and barked out a laugh. “Thank _god_. I’ve grown quite fond of the lil’ guy,” he said, leaning into Sirius’ side, his words coming out slightly slurred. “Merlin, this stuff works fast…”

“Who’s Merlin?”

“Oh, just a wizard. A dead one. From the other-other life. Hewasfamous.”

Yes, he was definitely losing his ability to speak properly.

Sirius threw his head back and laughed at him, casually running his fingers through his glorious, raven hair and swiping it to the side like it was his gift to mankind.

Remus' eyes widened and his jaw went slack.

“You’ve got such _pretty_ hair,” he mumbled, reaching out a hand and petting it gently.

Sirius jerked slightly and immediately clasped hold of his raised wrist, as if he’d just been assaulted.

Remus froze with round eyes.

_Oh shit._

And then, shockingly, the man pressed his palm against his mouth and kissed it tenderly with his warm, luscious lips, closing his eyes as he did.

And Remus stared at him with his jaw on the ground.

_What the fuck?_

He hadn’t expected that. Not at all. He wobbly pushed himself to standing and then leaned down, grabbing a strap on the front of Sirius’ shirt, and yanked him up.

“Time to go,” he breathed.

He needed him alone…and naked…and all the other things, but it was very hard to think.

They stumbled into a sea of Ewoks and before they knew it, they were dancing around the bonfire and shouting nonsense like a couple of drunk fools, which in fact, they _were_.

Sirius started laughing hysterically and then Remus couldn’t stop. The Ewoks danced around them, jumping up and down and throwing their paw-hands in the air.

And Remus was sure that if it all hadn’t actually been real, or some form of _real_ , it would have been the most bizarre, trippy dream of his entire life—dancing around a bonfire with humanoid bears, completely wasted on their wine and horny as fuck.

Yes, this definitely took the cake for _strangest dream ever._

At some point during the revelry, Sirius grabbed him by the arm and yanked him out of the crowds. They stumbled their way in the darkness, over tree branches and undergrowth, and Remus nearly ran face-first into a ladder before Sirius jerked him out of harm's way.

And then he could hear running water, telling him they were somewhere near the river.

Sirius gripped him by the shoulders and shoved him back up against a massive tree, quickly finding his lips and stealing his breath away. 

Remus gladly surrendered and slid his hands down to the mans hips, gripping his belt and frantically trying to tug it off, but his fingers kept fumbling.

They were _always_ fumbling.

Sirius swatted his hands aside and yanked it off himself, tossing it away like some kind of experienced, male stripper.   


It felt like _déjà vu._

Remus quickly unfastened the man’s breeches and greedily slid his hands all the way inside and around to his bum, grasping hold of his gloriously firm, bare cheeks and squeezing hard. Sirius convulsed and hissed in his mouth, pushing him up against the tree with even more force.

And Remus was living for it. 

Sirius was shaking as he desperately kissed him back, his body humming like a live-wire, and it made Remus feel brave. _Very brave._ He snatched one of Sirius’ wandering hands and placed it directly over his cock, scrunching his face as he did. The man let out a feral grunt and firmly clasped hold of him, squeezing hard and pawing at him like some kind of animal.

Dear _god_ how he’d missed being touched by him!

Nothing compared.

His entire body came alive and screamed for more.

_So. Much. More._

He wrapped a leg around Sirius’ hip and entwined his fingers in his long, luscious hair, desperate to be completely and utterly consumed by him. 

***

~S~

Sirius had never felt anything so wonderful in all his life.

The smell of the boy’s damp skin, the taste of his wine-stained lips.

The feel of his hot, throbbing cock in his hand!

_Holy shit!_

He wanted to get lost in him, drown in him, be _consumed_ by him.

It was like holding onto fire.

_Euphoria…achingly painful._

He yanked Remus’ pants and briefs down and pressed his own naked body against him, skin against skin, and shuddered from the contact. 

He’d wanted it for so long.

_ Longer than I've known him. _

They both scrambled to get their boots and shirts off.

It was a warm, muggy night and he already felt slick from the humidity. He groped at skin in the darkness, finding the boy’s bare bottom and grasping it with both hands, pulling him up into him and nearly fainting from the pleasurable sensation. Remus groaned like a dying man in his mouth, making his heart stop completely and then begin to race uncontrollably.

He frantically ran his hands over the Remus’ bare hips, squeezing hard, and then trailed his fingers down to his naked cock, trembling as they grazed the warm, sensitive skin. Remus pulled back from his lips, panting wildly, and tilted his head back against the tree.

And suddenly, a white light fluttered above them and they both froze.

“What…the fuck…is _that_?” Remus wheezed.

“A Wistie."

“A _what_?”

Sirius went straight for his exposed neck, placing sloppy, ravenous kisses down his bare throat, all the way to his collar bone.

“A Wistie…firefolk.”

“Are they dangerous?”

Sirius sucked at his throbbing pulse, simultaneously tugging down on his cock with his hand. “Not unless you try and burn down the forest.”

Remus groaned loudly and gripped onto his neck with both hands, pulling his face back up, their naked bodies writhing together.

The boy found his lips and kissed him with a frenzied passion, straining into his mouth like he was searching for something. Something he couldn’t live without. Sirius surged up against him, digging his feet into the dirt and pushing back with just as much desperation.

Minutes passed, or maybe hours, he couldn’t tell.

He could only _feel_.

And what he felt was the boy’s slick, sweat-drenched skin sliding underneath his shaking fingers, always eluding his grasp…and his insatiable, hot, wet mouth, leaving him never satisfied and always desperate for more.

_More, more, more…_

“Turn around,” Remus breathed by his ear.

He obeyed.

“Bend over.”

He obeyed again, pressing both hands against the tree trunk with a grunt.

And what happened next made his eyes fly open.

Remus was spreading him apart and slowly sliding his rock-hard cock right inside him…like he knew what he was doing.

Like they'd done this before.

“I’ve got you,” the boy panted, resting his chin on his shoulder and wrapping his arms around him, placing his hands over top his own and entwining their fingers together as they both pressed into the tree.

Sirius couldn’t think, couldn’t move, couldn’t believe what was happening.

_Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit…_

Remus slid all the way inside him and began moving to a wonderfully painful rhythm. Like nothing he’d ever felt before…nothing he could ever fathom. Sirius squeezed their joined hands and pressed them harder into the tree, feeling like his head and heart were about to simultaneously combust.

_How is this real?!_

Remus increased his pace, slamming against his back repeatedly as they both grunted louder and louder and sucked in great gulps of the thick, humid air.

His cock felt like it was about to explode and he wasn’t even touching it; he could feel it slap against his thigh with each driving blow.

Remus slammed into him harder than he thought possible, taking his breath away and jolting him back to his senses. 

“I’ll _release it_ …if _you_ will,” the boy growled by his ear.

Sirius gasped and automatically stiffened, every muscle in his body clenching tight. He scrunched his eyes shut, unable to contain it anymore. His warm cum dribbled down the side of his thigh and onto the ground as the boy spilled inside of him, filling him up from the inside out.

He sucked in air and nearly collapsed into the tree, but caught himself and pressed his head into his arm, panting wildly.

_Holy fuck, holy fuck, holy fuck…_

Remus placed a kiss on his sweaty shoulder and pulled out, leaving him feeling painfully empty and yet utterly full at the same time...knowing he would surely never be the same.

He turned around slowly and pressed his back against the tree, needing it for support; his legs were jelly. “Wow,” he breathed.

Remus smiled lazily and leaned forward, pressing his naked body into him and tenderly kissing his slick neck with warm lips.

Sirius’ heart felt liable to burst, and not from lack of air. A flood of emotions welled up in his chest, all the way to his throat, making it hard to swallow, hard to breathe.

Remus laid his head against his breast, sighing contentedly, and stealing the very last of his breath away. Sirius protectively enveloped him in his arms, holding him as close as their damp skin would allow, but it still didn’t feel close enough.

His body trembled and his eyes felt moist.

He never knew something could feel so _good_.

So utterly perfect.

So unfathomably holy.

Or could touch him so deep.

“Thank you,” he breathed, tilting his head back against the tree and closing his eyes.

***


	10. Don't Look Back

***

~R~

Remus was woken by the distant sound of whirring engines.

He blinked his eyes open.

It was still semi-dark out. The suns were just beginning to rise, their orange light barely peeking through the mist-shrouded tree-trunks.

He squirmed and found himself caged in Sirius’ long arms; the man was hugging him close as he leaned his back against the tree. They were both still naked and drenched in perspiration, the humidity covering them like a thick blanket.

He grunted slightly and pulled away, crawling to standing as every sore and stiff muscle in his body fiercely protested.  


Sirius continued to sleep soundly, his shoulder-length, black hair damp and curled up at the ends and his red lips swollen. There was a bruise on the side of his neck and dirt smudged across his bare chest.

And Remus’ heart ached for him.

_He’s so goddamn beautiful._

He couldn’t believe the man had _finally_ let down his guard... _finally_ opened to him.

And even though their being intimate still hadn’t seemed to jog Sirius’ memory, it was at least a start. At least he actually _wanted_ to be with him.

Remus sighed and turned to look at the river. He walked towards it, deciding a bath was exactly what he needed after sleeping in the dirt.

He gingerly slipped into the wonderfully warm water and went underneath it, running his fingers through his hair and over his chest before resurfacing again.

“Why didn’t you wake me?”

It was Sirius, butt-naked and visibly irritated with his hands resting on his hips.

Remus bit back his grin and rubbed the water out of his eyes.

“You looked too peaceful. I just got in. Water’s warm,” he said, swishing his hands back and forth and smirking.

The man grinned back and crouched down, sticking his hand in.

Remus studied him for a moment.

He hadn’t fully realized just how _fit_ this version of Sirius was. The _real_ Sirius would be insanely jealous. Especially because of the height thing. “You gonna get in or just watch me?” he asked, swimming towards him.

Sirius looked up at him with smoldering eyes, the rising suns lighting him golden from behind. He looked like some kind of majestic lion being.

_Dear god._

Remus’ heart skipped a beat.

And then he reached out and grasped hold of Sirius' wrist, promptly yanking him in the water.

Sirius sputtered and yelped, thrashing around until he caught him round the waist. Remus barked out a laugh and struggled against him, splashing and kicking.

“Oh, no you don’t,” Sirius hissed, grabbing him firmly by the biceps and spinning him around as they both treaded water. “C’mere,” he huffed before smashing their lips together.

A fiery thrill went up Remus’ spine. He wrapped his legs around the man's waist and clasped onto his face, their tongues dancing as the river lazily carried them further downstream.

“Last night…was _amazing_ …” Sirius panted between increasingly desperate kisses.

Remus grunted and swiped the man's hair back from his face, squeezing him tighter between his thighs.

“I think we need a repeat…but more… _sober_ ,” Sirius pulled back and breathed by his ear, his hot breath making him shiver and close his eyes. “I want to remember _everything_.”

Remus sucked in air through his open mouth and scrunched his face in sweet agony. “Sounds like a plan,” he murmured, ready to have their “repeat” right then and there.

A sudden, loud whirring noise from above made them both look up.

“Holy shit,” Sirius breathed, gaping upwards.

“What _was_ that?”

“Ships. _Empire_ ships…Shit…shit…shit…” the man hissed, straining to swim them to shore.

“What? Why?”

“I don’t know…but those are stormtrooper vessels.”

“How do you know?”

“I just…know,” Sirius groaned, grabbing hold of a patch of grass and holding them steady.

Remus scrambled out of the water and Sirius came up quickly after him.

“We’ve gotta go…we can’t stay…” Sirius said, looking completely terrified, his blue eyes darting around wildly and his breathing out of control.

“But _why_?”

“We just do. Just _trust_ me,” he pleaded, running to the tree and snatching up their clothes. He threw Remus his things.

“We’ll need to get our stuff…and then we can…and…” Sirius faded off, mumbling to himself.

“I don’t understand! Why can’t we _stay_?”

“ _Please_ , just _trust_ me,” Sirius begged, yanking on his last boot.

“Are you in some kind of trouble?”

The man’s eyes shifted and a muscle in his jaw twitched.

“Yes. I’m in grave danger. We’re going to have to _leave_ Endor. Now, go get the _child_ and I’ll get our things from the hut…grab some food, too.”

They took off running for camp and Remus looked around frantically for baby Yoda. There were still groups of Ewoks asleep, snoring loudly and clutching onto jugs of sunberry wine. The fires were still smoking and there was no sign of the _child_.

His panic rose to a fever pitch as he whipped around in frantic circles. 

And then he found him.

Passed out on a table of food, _of course_ , and snoring softly with his tiny hand rested over his heart and his mouth stained pink from berry juice.

“C’mon, lil’ fella, we gotta go," Remus cooed, carefully scooping him up and cradling him in his arms. The _child_ stirred and grunted. 

He looked around for some food and quickly grabbed a cloth and started filling it with left-over Gurrek meat and berries. They would just have to make do.

Sirius appeared, his hair still dripping wet, panting wildly. “Put the _child_ in the pack,” he commanded, turning around. Remus obeyed and placed him inside, and then he took the satchel slung over the man’s shoulder and placed it around his own neck, dropping the food inside.

“We’ll take my ship,” Sirius breathed, “and we’ll have to make a run for it. It’s parked nearly an hour from here.”

“Through the swamps?” 

“No, through the woods.”

They stared at each other for a moment, the air thick with unspoken questions.

Remus nodded, and then they were off running.

The further they moved away from the camp the greater the ache in his heart. He _really_ liked it there and wanted to stay. He desperately hoped Sirius’ reason for leaving was worth giving it all up for.

His lungs were already burning and so were his thighs. He felt they’d been running for hours with no end in sight.

Another Empire ship flew over and his heart stopped.

“It’s just up here!” Sirius yelled, running at an all-out sprint to a cluster of bushes.

Remus couldn’t keep up. When he arrived, the man was frantically yanking the plants off his camouflaged grey and black ship, and he couldn’t help but wonder where Sirius learned to do something like that.

_Has he done this before?_

“C’mon!” the man yelled, rushing towards him and dragging him to the passenger’s side entrance. Remus obey and hastily crawled inside. Sirius tugged his pack off containing the _child_ and shoved it in his arms. “Get buckled!” he hissed before running around to the other side and jumping in the cockpit.

“Where are we going?” Remus asked, fastening his harness and holding the still-sleeping baby on his lap.

“I haven’t thought that far.” Sirius was pressing buttons and pulling levers so fast Remus’ eyes couldn’t keep up.

_How does he know how to fly so well?_

“How about Coruscant?”

“Fine. Perfect,” Sirius said, pulling back on a lever. The engines whirred to life and they lifted off from the ground.

Remus felt terrible for leaving without getting to say goodbye..and for leaving his ship behind, too.

He wanted to ask again why they had to leave and why Sirius was on the run in the first place, but the man was concentrating and he knew it would only upset him further. He stroked the _child’s_ face and stared out the window, watching the familiar landscape of the forest moon swiftly drop away, and his heart along with it.

They rose up through a bank of pastel clouds and then broke through the atmosphere.

***

~S~

Sirius felt sick.

And afraid…

And scared to death for the safety of the boy.

Surely the stormtroopers had arrived on Endor looking for _him_. The Emperor had probably sent them. He’d been gone for far too long. If he’d have been smarter he would have sent word that he was still working on his target. Though, that wouldn’t have been believable either. It never took him _days_ to complete a mission. He was notorious for his swiftness. Everything about his absence was surely suspicious.

He pressed a red button on the dash and glanced at Remus.

His eyes were closed and his head leaned back against the seat as he cradled the _child_ in his arms.

And Sirius’ heart ached.

He hated everything about this.

He didn’t wanted to leave the safety and comfort of Endor any more than Remus did.

Their time there had been like a dream, getting hazier and hazier the farther they moved away from it.

But they couldn’t go backwards…only forward.

They would probably be on the run forever…and he would do everything in his power to keep them safe.

Killing the boy was clearly not an option, and neither was _leaving_ him.

They would get to Coruscant and formulate a plan. It was a good place to get lost. The bustling city would provide excellent cover, but it would also expose them to more people…

He shook his head.

_It's a gamble we'll just have to take._

Remus stirred and he turned to stare at him.

The boy blinked his eyes open and stared back, his expression unreadable, and then he reached out a hand and laid it atop his own, entwining their fingers.

And Sirius couldn’t help but remember how their conjoined hands had looked pressed against the tree. Their perfect night together already seemed to far away.

“I trust you,” Remus breathed.

Sirius’ heart jumped to his throat. He swallowed hard and gazed deep into the boy's mesmerizing amber eyes.

“I’m not sure I’m deserving of it,” he replied solemnly.

Remus squeezed his hand, a small smile playing on his lips. “The Sirius _I_ know always comes through…even if his ways are a bit… _unconventional_.”

Sirius smirked and let out a relieved exhale, their eyes still locked.

The boy had faith in him, and that was enough.

“I love you,” he blurted out, his cheeks instantly burning.

“I know,” the boy replied, grinning smugly.

~~~

Coruscant was a chaotic, industrialized, wildly over-populated, mecca of business and government. The capitol of the Republic, and the general center of the galaxy, it was an excellent place to hide and blend in. There were boundless levels below and above the planet’s crust consisting of blocks, megablocks and subblocks—it was literally an entire planet evolved into one regulated city. 

Ships whizzed by them left and right as the dark landscape covered in endless artificial lights and geometric grids came into view.

“Wow,” Remus breathed, nearly pressing his face against the glass. The _child_ stirred in his lap and peered out the window, his black eyes wide.

Sirius docked the ship in a massive grey hanger, holding his breath. He quickly unfastened his harness and moved to the back of the ship, grabbing their things.

“We’ll go straight to a hotel I know and stay there until we come up with a better plan. Don’t let go of me in the crowds and try not to look anyone directly in the eye.”

For all he knew, their faces could be plastered on every holographic projector in the city. Though maybe he was being a bit _paranoid_. The Emperor had never sent out a search for him before…but then again, he’d never been off-grid for so long either.

Remus nodded gravely and started helping the _child_ into the pack.

“I’ll carry him,” Sirius said, hoisting the backpack over his shoulders. “Stay hidden,” he whispered to the creature.

He locked eyes with Remus for a moment, his heart beating in his throat and his hands starting to shake. The boy must think he was acting completely insane. But how could he explain? Maybe he could find the words later, but not now.

“Ready?” he asked.

“Ready,” Remus replied, his wide eyes trying to be brave but brimming with fear.

They crawled out of the ship and inhaled the thin, unnatural smelling air of Coruscant. He had forgotten just how unpleasant the planet was...Staying on Endor had him spoiled to the luxuries of _nature_. He wasn’t sure there was a single tree left on this entire artificial orb.

As they exited the hanger he pulled a ticket from a machine that would allow him to retrieve his ship later. Thankfully, he had plenty of cash for parking and a hotel, but he would run out eventually…

_And then what?_

They merged with the flow of foot traffic and he felt Remus grab onto the back of his shirt, hovering behind him like a shadow.

The place smelled of oil and chemicals and far too many people.

“It’s just right up here,” he said, turning back and finding the boy’s wide, terrified eyes staring right back at him. He grabbed him by the hand and tugged him forward.

“Waaaatch it!” a grey creature with a blob for a face hissed.

“S-sorry,” Remus stuttered, clutching onto his hand for dear life.

“Shit, this place is terrible! Maybe we should have gone to another forest moon…” the boy muttered.

Sirius huffed, his own fears and frustrations starting to rise. “We’re here _now_ and we’ll just have to make do.”

The familiar red and blue flashing neon sign of the “Hesperidium Hotel” came into view and relief washed over him.

“Hesperidium?” Remus asked, gaping up at the sign.

“It’s the name of one of Coruscant’s moons…Now listen, you’re gonna have to go to the front desk and get the room,” he said, fishing a wad of cash out of his pack’s side pocket.

“Why me?” Remus yelped, his face completely ashen.

“Because they might remember me.”

“But I don’t know what I’m doing…I might mess it up—and what if they—"

“Shh, it’s okay,” Sirius soothed, pulling them out of the flow of traffic and up against the shiny, obsidian walls of the building’s front. “They won’t ask questions. They’ll speak your language. Just say you want a basic room for the night. Nothing fancy.”

“Okay,” Remus exhaled, taking the money.

“I’ll walk in behind a crowd and meet you in the hallway…by the elevators.”

The boy nodded once and then hesitantly walked through the glass doors.

Sirius felt terrible for putting him through it, but his brain felt like mush. Why had he decided to come to Coruscant again? And why _this_ hotel?! Was he putting them in even more danger? It was so hard to think…he was just trying to keep himself from being paralyzed by fear.

Because deep down he knew they couldn’t run forever.

The Emperor would scout the entire galaxy for him. There would be a bounty put on his head.

Not because the Emperor valued his life, but because he _knew_ too much…He could prove much too dangerous in the wrong hands.

A group of chattering people walked inside and he quickly moved in behind them, making a b-line for the elevators just as Remus left the front desk looking visibly shaken.

“Okay, I think it worked,” Remus sighed heavily, handing him a thin metal card. “I have no idea what we got. I just asked for _basic_ and I think they understood me.”

There was sweat on the boy’s upper lip and his voice was quavery. Sirius smiled and grabbed his hand, lacing their fingers together. “I’m sure you did perfect.”

Remus shot him a relieved look, his brown eyes tired and sad.

“C’mon,” Sirius said, tugging him to an elevator and pressing a red button. “We can rest now.”

***


	11. Something More

***

~R~

Remus’ jaw hit the floor when they walked inside the room.

Apparently, what they considered _basic_ on Coruscant was like a penthouse suite in Earth terms.

The first thing he noticed was the floor to ceiling glass windows, displaying an unhindered view of the dark city—an endless sea of towering black spires covering the planet’s surface like a plague.

“Wow,” he breathed.

Gleaming silver ships whizzed by left and right as colorful, holographic advertisements flashed from the tops of every building and on the sides of every shuttle. Coruscant was like a giant, cracked-out city for the elite. An artificial playground for politicians and the rich.

He tore his eyes away from the mesmerizing view and watched with even more rapture as Sirius carefully took the sleeping _child_ out of his pack and laid him gently on the bed. “Guess it’s all too much for him,” the man murmured, pulling part of the black satin duvet up and draping it over the creature.

Remus’ heart thrummed against his chest. 

Sirius glanced up and their eyes locked, and as if pulled by an invisible magnet, they began to move slowly and silently towards each other.

Sirius reached out and gripped him by the base of his neck, pulling him into his chest and wrapping his arms snugly around his back, hugging him tight. “I’m sorry,” the man whispered by his ear. “I know this isn’t ideal…I just have to formulate a plan.”

Remus pressed his face into Sirius' firm chest, rubbing it from side to side as he clung onto him. He was desperately trying to keep his emotions at bay but found he was simply too exhausted. “I miss Endor,” he choked out, curling his fingers into the back of Sirius’ shirt as his body quivered against him. A sob rose to his throat and he couldn’t contain it.

“I know…me, too,” Sirius sighed, squeezing him tighter. “But we couldn’t stay.”

Remus pulled back and stared up at him, blinking tears from his lashes. “Will you ever tell me _why_?”

Sirius’ sapphire eyes were brimming with so much pain that they took his breath away.

What was his secret?

Why was it tearing him up so?

“I can’t—" Sirius choked, clasping him tighter and burying his face in the crook of his neck, his body beginning to shake.  


“It’s okay…it’s okay…you don’t have to tell me anything,” he soothed, rubbing circles on his back. He walked them to the bed and they sat down on the edge, still clasping onto each other. He squeezed Sirius’ hands before sliding to the floor and grasping hold of his boot, yanking it off, and then the other. “We don’t have to talk tonight,” he said, moving between his open thighs and sliding his hands up their length to clutch onto his waist.

Sirius stared at him with parted lips, his blue eyes wide and full of wonder. “Okay,” he breathed, reaching his hand up and running his fingers through hair, ruffling it slightly.

Remus closed his eyes and inhaled, wanting nothing more than to attack him… _worship_ him—and then his stomach grumbled loudly.

“But first, I think we need some food… _and_ a bath,” he said, opening his eyes and starting to grin.

Sirius smirked devilishly, just like the _real_ Sirius, and gripped onto the back of his neck with one hand, tugging his face forward and upwards, his thumb pressing into his bottom lip like he owned it. “I’ll get the room service,” he breathed, inches from his mouth, “You take care of the rest.”

Even with shot nerves and a barely-there-brain, Remus still felt his blood catch fire and nearly incinerate his skin. Sirius could say anything to him, _absolutely anything_ , and as long as he was touching him like that, like he wanted him, _really wanted him_ , and looking at him like that, _blue eyes on fire_ , he would gladly melt at his feet. Surrender all that he was, all that he had. It was the only proper way to respond.

He scooted even closer between his thighs, feeling the heat from his groin, smelling his familiar scent, sliding his arms completely around his taut back, and closed his eyes as he strained upward for his lips.

Sirius gently cradled his head in his hands and closed the distance, smashing their lips together hungrily and kissing him like it was the last time, catching him completely off guard.

Remus dug his fingers into his back and held on tight. He relished being between his legs; kneeling before him, surrendering, letting Sirius take control. It was how it was always meant to be. How he preferred it.

His heart raged against his ribs as he felt a delicious heat begin to pool in his lower belly, urging him on.

Sirius’ tongue was insatiable; his mouth, his lips, his hands…

It was like being kissed by an actual _fire_.

_All consuming._

There was no escape…and he didn’t even want one.

And yet, to keep the flame alive his body demanded air.

He pulled back reluctantly, completely breathless and cross-eyed.

Sirius pressed their foreheads together and sucked in air through his nose, still holding onto his face, and Remus wasn’t sure they were actually going to make it to the bathroom.

***

~S~

Sirius opened the small square door and retrieved the tray of food he’d just ordered and had sent up for them. He hoped Remus liked it. But who didn’t like _fried_ things?

“Smells good,” the boy said, walking out of the bathroom barefoot and bare-chested.

Sirius looked him up and down and smirked. Remus’ tan breeches were hanging temptingly low off his slim hips. He narrowed his eyes at them and licked his lips, wishing they’d just slip right off and onto the floor.

“D’you wanna eat before or after?” he asked.

“Before,” Remus said, sitting down on the bar-stool next to him and pulling the lid off one of the containers. “Looks better than the Gurreck,” he said, poking at the fried dumpling. “But I’m not sure it will _taste_ as good.”

Sirius smiled ruefully and handed him a fork. “It will. Dig in.”

~~~

They greedily finished off every last morsel of their meal and Sirius was starting to feel considerably better; he could actually formulate a thought now. Maybe there was still hope.

Maybe he could still come up with a decent escape plan…

He was the Empire’s most clever assassin after all, or at least he _had_ been. Surely he could come up with _something_.

Baby Yoda burped loudly and they both turned to look at him. The creature rubbed its pot-belly and curled up at the end of the bed, trying to pull the blanket back over itself.

“I think he ate his fill,” Remus muttered, getting up and tucking the creature snugly in.

“I think we all did,” Sirius sighed, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

“C’mon,” Remus said, clasping hold of both his wrists and tugging him up. “Time to get you clean.”

Sirius blushed deeply and averted his eyes.

_How many times in my life have I actually blushed?_

Only a handful and almost all belonged to the boy.

He followed him into the bathroom and hesitantly eyed the giant, white, egg-shaped tub sat in the middle of the room.

Remus walked over to it, fiddled with the glass knobs for a bit, finally figuring it out, then turned back and stared at him.

Sirius gulped.

“Get your clothes off,” the boy hissed, sauntering towards him.

“We’re getting in… _together_?” Sirius croaked.

“No, you’re just gonna _watch_ me bathe,” Remus snipped, pursing his lips.

Sirius’ eyes widened.

“I’m kidding, you wanker! Now get naked or d’you want me to do it for you?”

“Wanker?” Sirius asked, quickly unfastening his belt.

“Yeah…it means like…you jerk-off…”

“Huh?”

“God. Never mind,” Remus sighed, yanking his own pants down and stepping out of them.

Sirius could barely look at him.

Why did he feel so nervous? They’d already been _intimate_ …As intimate as they could be. But then again, they’d been completely wasted and it was dark. The memories were getting blurrier.

He glanced up just as Remus yanked his underpants down.

_Holy shit!_

He inhaled shakily and continued to gape at him, his brain coming to a screeching halt.

“What?” Remus asked, moving towards him.

“N-nothing…I just…” he ducked his head down and nervously scratched the back of his neck. He could feel himself blushing… _again_.

“Don’t tell me you’re getting _shy_ on me?” the boy crooned, standing less than a foot away now; he slid his hands up the sides of his bare arms and squeezed his biceps tightly.

Sirius shivered and flicked his eyes up. “No.”

Remus hooked his fingers in his black briefs and yanked them down, all the way to the floor, where he crouched down and stared up at him, a wicked grin sliding up his deceivingly angelic face.

Sirius felt faint.

“C’mon,” Remus said exasperatedly, standing back up and chuckling. 

Sirius’ heart continued to race as he watched him pour something into the running water. After catching a whiff of it, he walked over and snatched the bottle right from the boy's hand, taking a deep inhale.

It smelled so familiar.

_The meadow…on Endor._

_Thousands of flowers warming comfortably under the light of the two suns…_

_I sound like a goddamn poet._

He lazily opened his eyes and watched as Remus slipped into the water and sank down, groaning with pleasure.

“Oh _my god_. I didn’t realize how much I needed _hot_ water.”

Sirius smirked and set the glass bottle down, dipping his fingers in the water, and then gingerly crawled in over the edge and completely submerged himself. It _did_ feel wonderful; even better than the river on Endor. He surfaced, swiping his hair back out of his eyes and already feeling revived.

“Good, huh?”

“Better than _good_ ,” he groaned, starting to smile and tugging the boy towards him by the arm, turning him so his back was pressed snugly against his chest.

_Right where he should be._

He leaned his head back on the tub and closed his eyes with a sigh.

Remus pressed the side of his face against his chin. “The Ewoks need bathtubs… _that’s_ what they were missing,” he murmured.

“And electricity,” Sirius breathed, rubbing the sides of their faces together and realizing he needed to shave.

“I could even live without that…” Remus sighed.

“Mmm.”

“Maybe we can go back there…after…whatever it is we’re doing here.”

“Maybe,” Sirius replied, a sharp pain stabbing at his heart—the guilt just wouldn’t let go.

Remus squirmed in his arms and placed a wet kiss on his jaw.

“I like you hairy,” he said sleepily. “Keep it.”

Sirius smirked and hugged him closer to his chest.

~~~

They eventually made it to the bed, clad in complimentary black silk pajamas, and pulled back the covers.

Sirius slid inside and held the blanket up for Remus.

“Sweet Jesus,” the boy hissed, sliding right into him. “This is heavenly.”

Sirius pulled him into his arms and nuzzled his nose into his wet hair, trying to memorize the smell, the feel, the taste.

They stared at each other for a moment, their eyes so heavy and tired they could barely keep them open.

Sirius lightly trailed his fingertip over the planes of Remus’ face, his heart beating harder.

“Tomorrow will be better,” he breathed. “I promise.”

“I know,” Remus mumbled, his eyes fluttering shut.

“I won’t let anything happen to you,” Sirius whispered, leaning his face forward and gently kissing his lips.

Remus grunted, resting a hand atop his.

Their lips separated and Sirius hugged him close, burying his face back in the boy’s damp hair.

“I’ll find a way,” he murmured, unable to resist the pull of sleep any longer.

_I’ll find a way…_

He closed his eyes and held on tight, unsure what the morrow would bring.

***

~R~

Remus woke the next morning expecting to hear the deep, bellowing sound of the “morning horns”, but instead, he heard the grating noise of honking shuttles and the incessant buzz of the city.

_The city that never sleeps._

He buried the side of his face into his satin pillow, smiling when he realized Sirius was behind him, pressed snugly against his back with his arm wrapped around his side and his hand resting on his chest, holding him close and protectively.

He closed his eyes and sighed, wishing they were back on Endor, lying on the floor of their tiny hut, wrapped in blankets and furs and listening to the crackle of the fire.

_Will we ever go back?_

Sirius stirred and let out a satisfied grunt, hugging him closer and burying his face in the back of his neck, inhaling deeply, _loudly_ , and making Remus squirm against him and grin like a fool.

“Morning,” Sirius rasped before placing a warm, lingering kiss on his neck, just below his ear.

“Mmm.”

“You hungry?”

“I could eat,” Remus murmured, resting his hand atop the man’s and running his thumb back and forth over his knuckles. Sirius had such perfect hands. If hands could be called _sexy_ , then his definitely were. He could have been a hand model…rings...even watches…really anything. Put it on those long, elegant fingers and anyone would want to buy it.

“Want me to order room service?” Sirius asked in an extra deep voice, pressing his warm lips into his ear.

Remus’ breath caught. He bit down on his bottom lip and squirmed against him. “Maybe in a bit,” he replied, wiggling in his arms and turning to face him.

Sirius’ hair was tangled, sticking up in all directions, his blue eyes droopy.

_And he still looks like a fucking god!_

A sleepy, rumpled one, but definitely still a _god_.

And then the man smiled and Remus’ heart skipped a beat. He reached his hand up and rested it against Sirius’ warm, rosy cheek, lightly caressing his cheekbone with his thumb. The man closed his eyes and leaned into his touch like he relished it, making Remus’ heart ache even more.

“I missed you,” Sirius whispered, his lips barely moving.

“But I never left.”

“We were sleeping, though…”

Remus snickered. “You missed me while you slept? Even though I was _literally in your arms_?”

Sirius opened his eyes and smirked devilishly, then reached out and clutched onto his hip, making him yelp in surprise.

“Is that a crime?” Sirius breathed, now an inch from his mouth.

A bolt of electricity shot through Remus’ body.

“No. Not at all. I just didn’t realize—"

“That what? I want you every moment?”

Remus blushed fiercely, all the way to the tips of his ears. He ran his fingers back through the man’s hair, caressing him, and then leaned in, pressing their foreheads together. 

“Maybe.”

“Well, I do. It’s just never…enough,” Sirius whispered, nuzzling against his face and pressing into his lips.

Remus instantly melted against his warm skin, gently cradling the side of his face and finding his feet under the covers, rubbing against them with his own. Even Sirius’ _feet_ were sexy. Of course.

_What part of him isn’t?!_

Sirius slipped his hand down the side of his pajama bottoms, gripping onto his bare hip and squeezing hard.

And Remus felt like he'd been lit on fire; the man’s strong hands simultaneously incinerating his skin and engulfing his heart.

They frantically tugged their shirts off and tossed them aside, clasping onto each other, pressing their bare chests together, both desperate to feel skin.

And then, overcome with bravery, or maybe just _lust_ , Remus found himself pushing Sirius back into the bed by the shoulders and crawling down his body and under the covers.

Sirius let out a muffled groan, his bare, sculpted chest already heaving up and down with each labored breath.

Remus smirked and clutched both his ankles, pushing his legs up and planting his feet flat on the bed.

Sirius grunted loudly, stiffening.  


Remus gripped onto his bare hip bones and dug his fingers in, squeezing hard.

“Fuck!” Sirius yelped, bucking up, his hands grasping onto the black, satin duvet.

Remus grinned and clutched him savagely again, thoroughly enjoying his effect on the man. He yanked his pajamas and briefs down to his ankles, his heart beating wildly as soon as he caught sight of his swollen, pink cock.

Sirius’ was already primed and ready.

_Ripe for the sucking._

Remus clutched him at his base and leaned his face down, sliding him into his mouth, his own cock aching from the familiar sensation.

Even in another galaxy, the man still had a perfect dick.

Sirius squirmed underneath him, turning his face from side to side against the pillow and muttering to himself, acting like it was his very _first_ blow-job.

And then Remus realized something—maybe it _was_.

 _This_ Sirius seemed to have zero _experience_.

How was that possible?

Yet another reminder this all must be a dream…Because there was no way, in _any_ galaxy, that a specimen like Sirius Black didn’t have _some kind_ of sexual experience.

It simply wasn’t possible. No universe would allow it.

Remus slowly bobbed his head up and down, filled with an even greater incentive to please him. He ran his hands greedily up and down Sirius' bare thighs, digging his fingers into the meaty flesh, dragging his nails against the skin, and sucking him like there was no tomorrow.

Sirius gasped for breath and convulsed, his pale, muscular thighs clinching tight. “You’re gonna kill me!” he whined.

Remus just kept going, trying every trick in the book that Sirius ever used to torment him with...Pulling out painfully, impossibly slow, and then going at it in double-time…Little kitten licks at the very tip that made Sirius pant out garbled curses and curl his toes into the sheets.

And generally _torturing_ him with his tongue.

“D’you wanna cum?” he crooned around his dick, clasping him right between his groin and thighs.

Sirius writhed like a snake, digging his fingers into his raven hair and tilting his face up to the ceiling. “Yes! _Please_!” he begged.

“Are you _sure_?”

Remus had no idea what he was doing. But Sirius always used to make him beg and it always worked like a charm.

“Yes!”

He laved his tongue over his slit one time and then pulled back.

“Are you _really_ sure?”

“Yes, GODDAMN IT!”

Remus swallowed his length, grinning; deep-throating as far as he could stand it, and then slowly pulled him back out, sucking fiercely.

“HOLY SHIT!” Sirius belted, his entire, glorious, muscled body winding tight, shuddering and then releasing all that he had, threatening to drown him.

Remus gripped onto his naked waist with both hands and eagerly sucked him dry, so grateful and relieved all his tactics had proved successful.

Completely _wrecking_ Sirius with his mouth had always been a dream of his...

And he’d never gotten him to _beg_ before…but then again, he’d never been brave enough to try.

He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and crawled up Sirius’ limp body, collapsing on top of his heaving, sweaty chest.

“How was it?”

Sirius tilted his head back on the satin pillow, sucking in great gulps of air.

“You’re speechless? That’s a first,” Remus grinned, kissing his open mouth and then trailing slow, languid kisses along his stubbled jawline and down the side of his throat.

Sirius ran his hands up and down his back and then hugged him tight, _fiercely_ , squeezing him against his body as close as possible. Was he shaking?

Remus lifted his head up and stared down at him. He smoothed the sweaty hair back off his forehead and kissed the tip of his nose.

Sirius’ blue eyes fluttered open and locked onto his, and what Remus saw inside their depths took his breath away.

It was indescribable…

They were brimming with love and lust and pain and…

_Fear and wonder._

Remus leaned his face down and frantically pressed their lips together, determined to never pull back for air, even if it killed him.

There was something different about _this_ Sirius.

Something more vulnerable.

Something less guarded.

Something, he simply couldn’t live without.

***


	12. The Plan

***

~S~

“So what’s the plan?”

“I’m still working on it,” Sirius replied, shoving a forkful of syrupy waffles in his mouth and chewing.

Remus pursed his lips at him before taking a sip of his caf. “This stuff is pretty good. Tastes like coffee,” he said, his eyes widening.

Sirius stared at his mouth, remembering exactly how it looked, how it _felt_ , wrapped around his cock.

_Those fucking lips!_

Remus’ innocent, good boy persona was utterly deceiving—his mouth _,_ his _tongue_ , said otherwise; it had the power to completely undo him. 

“It’ll keep you wired. Don’t drink too much,” he snickered, trying to calm his racing heart.

The _child_ reached out a tiny hand, clearly wanting a sip.

“I’m not sure you should give him any…one drop and he might go feral.”

The creature shot him a nasty glare and bared its teeth.

“I think he already _is_ ,” Remus chuckled. “Here you go little man, just a tiny sip.”

The _child_ carefully held the cup to its mouth and proceeded to take a deep gulp, sloshing some on its jacket-dress.

“That’s enough,” Sirius hissed, snatching the cup away.

The creature burped loudly and grinned.

“Finish your waffles,” he sighed, wondering how in the world he came to be a parent to a rebellious green creature with secret powers.

“Our boys really growing up, isn’t he?” Remus sighed wistfully, resting his chin in his hands. 

“Don’t even start,” Sirius groaned, but he couldn’t stop himself from smiling.

_Our boy…_

Playing “house” with Remus was more thrilling than he ever could have imagined.

His mind started to wander.

Maybe they could find some place. Lie low…live a simple existence where no one could find them. They could change their names, raise the _child_ …and just _live_.

“You look lightyears away,” Remus said, grazing his knuckles with his fingertips.

Sirius stirred and smirked at him. “Just thinking.”

“About the _plan_?”

“Well, kind of.” He sighed deeply, racking his brain for a moment. “I do know a guy.”

“What sort of guy?”

“The sort that could help us disappear.”

“Disappear to _where_ exactly?”

“Some place safe, some place where they can’t—" He stopped himself.

Remus furrowed his brows. “Where _who_ can’t _what_?”

Sirius gulped, feeling hot all over. “I told you…I’m on the run…”

“From the Empire?”

“Yes.”

“And you won’t tell me _why_?”

Sirius shook his head, unable to speak; he just couldn’t drag up the words.

_I was sent to kill you…I’m an assassin…The lap dog of the Emperor…I saw you that day…I was there._

Remus sighed, his shoulders slumping. “Alright, well I’ll do whatever you think is best. If we need to disappear we can disappear…As long as we’re _together_ ,” he finished, gripping Sirius’ thigh and staring deeply into his eyes.

Sirius nearly melted into a puddle on the floor.

He hated lying to that face…

But the truth would only hurt him.

And what if the boy knew about his unpleasant past? The things he’d done to rise to the top…to _survive_. Wouldn’t he be horrified? Repulsed? He would never look at him the same way again.

And he just couldn’t bear that.

Remus was his only reason for living now.

He simply couldn’t loose him. Not now, not ever.

Remus slid off his bar stool and moved towards him, sliding between his open thighs and gripping onto them. “I trust you,” he breathed.

Sirius winced slightly, his heart jumping to his throat and threatening to choke him.

“You’ve always been there for me…in dreams and in waking life. I know you’ll do the right thing.”

The knife dug in even further.

Sirius sighed heavily and gripped onto the back of Remus’ neck, pulling him in closer and smashing their lips together. He slipped his fingers into his hair and strained harder against his mouth, against his body, against every part of him, as if trying to merge with him...not knowing any other way.

He just wanted to give him more than he had.

***

~R~

“So this guy you know, d’you think he could get us back to Endor?”

“No, I don’t think so. Not with the stormtroopers already there. We can’t go back.”

Remus’ face fell. He couldn’t help it.

“At least not for a while,” Sirius added, lacing their fingers together and pulling him through the crowds, towards some kind of elevator-lift-shuttle.

Remus' stomach churned.

It was hard enough being on the top level of the over-crowded city; the thought of going down _lower_ simply made his skin crawl. He didn’t like being confined or in any situation where he felt like he couldn’t breathe.

Sirius pulled him into the elevator and punched a red, square button. A group of cloaked individuals shoved inside at the last moment and Remus moved closer to Sirius, pressing into his side and glancing at the pack on his back. The _child_ was still sleeping. The doors slid closed and he held his breath.

Without warning, they plummeted straight down at break-neck speed. Remus gasped and clutched his stomach, clamping his eyes shut. This was no _normal_ elevator.

They jerked to a bone-jarring stop and the doors slid open. The cloaked creatures walked out and Remus blinked his eyes rapidly, trying to comprehend the sight before him.

_The seedy underbelly of Coruscant._

It didn’t look that much different from up top…Just _darker_ …grittier. More ominous.   


Shuttles zoomed by haphazardly, strange noises filled the stagnant air, and giant holograms advertising all sorts of unsavory _entertainments_ flashed hypnotically; it smelled of something rotten, and the light from above was entirely fake—florescent and abrasive. He squinted his eyes and looked around, grimacing.

“This looks like hell.”

Sirius snickered and stood next to him, crossing his arms. “It’s probably pretty close.”

A ship whizzed past them, making Remus yelp and jump backwards. “Holy shit! Don’t they have traffic laws down here?!”

“Not really. No one would follow them even if they did. C’mon, let’s go.”

Remus followed beside him, desperately wanting to hold his hand but refraining—Sirius had said it would be safer if they just appeared to be _business_ partners.

It was hard to inhale. The air was stale and smelled of oil and evil things. He wanted to claw his way to the surface and feel sunlight on his skin—not that Coruscant’s light could in any way compare to the light on Endor—but anything was better than being thousands of feet below the planet’s crust.

“I’m betting he’ll be in here,” Sirius said, nodding towards a street corner.

It looked like some kind of pub.

_For debased criminals._

Remus shuddered and stared up at the broken, half-lit, neon-green sign flashing “Twilighters”.

“Twilighters?”

“It’s what the people down here call themselves.”

“More like _vampires_ ,” he muttered.

The closer they got to the place the more Remus’ stomach twisted. Surely the _child_ was feeling uncomfortable as well. Or maybe he was still passed out asleep…he _had_ scarfed down two plates of waffles.

Sirius pulled the grimy metal door open and they stepped inside, instantly getting hit in the face with some kind of bitter smelling smoke. It went straight to Remus’ brain and he immediately felt dizzy. Sirius glanced back at him and made a face, then tugged him forward by the arm.

Was it just the smoke in his brain, or were all the creatures in this place actually _demons_? Or maybe _goblins_ was more fitting…Something hideous and dark. Remus squinted his eyes and tried not to look.

Sirius went straight to the bar and casually rested his hands on the opaque counter, like he did it all the time, and the eel-faced creature standing behind it immediately stopped polishing his glass and looked up at him.

“Sirius Black? Well, I’ll be! Haven’t seen the likes of you in ages!”

Remus gaped at the creature and then at Sirius, who stood even taller and swiped his hair back in that irresistibly charming way he had. “I’ve been busy.”

Why in the world would Sirius ever come to a _place like this_? And enough times for the bartender to know him by name? Remus’ head was spinning.

“I can imagine,” the eel-man grinned wickedly, rows of sharp, pointy teeth visible in his gargantuan mouth.

“I’m looking for Pollux.”

“In the back,” the man nodded, still grinning.

Remus glanced at the bartender and then flinched, looking quickly away. It felt like every creature in the room was staring daggers at him. There was no air, only smoke and darkness. He reached to clutch Sirius’ arm but stopped himself yet again.

They walked through a series of glass doors until finally, Sirius stopped at a closed, golden one.

“Just keep quiet. We’ll be out of here soon,” the man whispered over his shoulder.

Remus nodded, swallowing hard.

_What’s behind that door?!_

Sirius knocked three times and the door opened, a wave of sweet, cloying smoke billowing out and enveloping them as a tentacle-faced creature looked Sirius up and down.

“Sirius Black?” it asked in a garbled tongue.

Remus gaped at Sirius again.

_How do all these creatures know him?!_

“I need to speak to Pollux,” he said, standing taller.

The creature opened the door all the way and let them walk inside, with Remus staying glued to Sirius’ back.

The space was dark but lavish, with only gold lamps scattered around the room glowing an eerie crimson. There were no holograms or flashing advertisements, just the scent of something sickeningly sweet and the feeling of dread.

Sirius walked towards a high, winged-backed chair sat in front of a table laden with colorful, decadent foods and glittering liquor bottles. 

Remus gulped.

The chair scooted back slowly and a person stood up. At least Remus thought it might be a _person_. They wore a black cloak draped over their broad shoulders and stood well over six feet tall.

“Sirius Black?”

A man stepped forward into the light with long, white-blonde hair and a strikingly attractive angular face. He wore a black uniform with shiny, black knee-high boots; his outfit was similar to Sirius’ but more embellished, more dignified.

This wasn’t what Remus had expected at all.

The man reached out and grabbed Sirius by the shoulders, pulling him forward and embracing him in his muscular arms. Sirius visibly stiffened against him and then awkwardly patted him on the back.

The blonde man pulled back and gripped him firmly by the biceps. “Sirius Black. I didn’t expect to see you again so soon!”

Remus gaped between the pair, feeling his blood boil and his face burn with each second, and each _touch_ , that passed.

“Oh, this is Remus,” Sirius said, as if he were just an after-thought, tugging him forward by the shirt sleeve. “He’s my, _associate_ …”

Remus didn’t miss the look of malice that flashed across Pollux's steely grey eyes.

“How _nice_ ,” the man crooned, looking him up and down with disdain. “So, what can I do for _you_?”

“Well, I came to ask a favor…since you _owe_ me one,” Sirius sniffed.

Pollux stared at him for a moment and then threw his head back and laughed heartily.

Remus curled his lip.

Whatever kind of _connection_ the man had with Sirius, he didn’t like it. Not one bit.

“Yes, indeed,” Pollux said with a smirk, swiping his silky-blonde hair back off his shoulder with a flourish.

Remus didn’t know why, but he was about ready to combust. Maybe it was the lack of air; maybe it was the sickening smell of whatever this man was smoking…or the way he looked at Sirius…like he was something to _eat_ …

“I need to go off-grid,” Sirius said in a lower voice. “ _We_ need to go off-grid.”

The man’s eyes flashed to Remus and he felt like he’d just been skewered. He flicked his eyes to his boots and gulped.

“I see…and what _exactly_ did you have in mind?”

“Some place the Empire would never find us.”

“That serious? No pun intended,” the man crooned.

Remus ground his teeth.

“Yes. We’ll need new identities…a new planet…an off-grid ship to get us there. Will that be possible?”

Pollux pursed his thin lips and rubbed his chin with his long, elegant white fingers. “For you? Anything is possible.”

Remus was one breath away from attacking him, going completely bat-shit crazy, but Sirius reached back and squeezed his forearm, stilling him.

The man glanced between them and practically sneered.

“It might take me some time to get everything in order…”

“We don’t have time.”

“Well, I’ll hurry then,” Pollux sighed dramatically. “Where are you staying? So I know where to reach you.”

“The Hesperidium.”

“Very nice.”

“Well, thank you,” Sirius said with a curt nod as he moved back towards the door. Remus hurried behind him, his fingers itching to grab hold of him, to visibly claim him. To make it unmistakably clear that he was _his_ and not up for grabs.

“I’ll be in touch,” Pollux said, the sound of his airy, mocking tone making Remus want to turn back around and punch him right in his pretty face.

And pull his hair out, too, for good measure.

They exited the pub and Remus was never so happy to smell the fake, oily air of the underworld again. He gasped for breath and clutched a handful of Sirius’ black shirt.

“Holy shit…that was _terrible_ ,” he wheezed.

“Yeah, that stuff he smokes is repulsive.”

“Not that— _him_ ,” Remus hissed. “Why in the _world_ do you have…or had relationships…a relationship,” his brain was still very fuzzy and the overwhelming sense of jealously wasn’t helping, “with THAT creature…”

“Okay, first of all,” Sirius snapped, roughly grabbing his arm and tugging him towards the side of the building, “I do not, nor have I ever had, _relations_ with that man. We used to work together, something happened, and he owes me a favor. That’s it.”

Remus stared up at him, feeling slightly better, but still jealous as all hell. He shot him a glare and crossed his arms. “Well I hate him.”

Sirius pursed his lips and then shook his head and snickered. “Don’t be jealous of that fiend. He’s not worth it.”

“And you trust him to find us a place?”

“Like I said, he _owes_ me…”

“Must owe you a helluva lot to do something like that,” Remus muttered, kicking the concrete sidewalk with his boot. 

“C’mon, let’s get out of here,” Sirius huffed, tugging on his arm. “Being down here is making you loopy.”

A group of obviously drunk characters walked past them, reeking of alcohol and evil deeds, and one of them slammed hard into Remus’ shoulder. “Hey!” Remus barked. “Watch where you’re going.”

The group paused and turned back.

“Shit,” Sirius hissed.

Remus froze and blinked his eyes.

Something silver whizzed past him and he nearly jumped out of his skin.

“What the fuck!” he yelped.

“A feral droid,” Sirius muttered, clutching onto the back of his shirt and slowly pulling him backwards as the group continued to move in closer.

“This place _is_ hell!” Remus hissed.

The drunk creature that had slammed into him pulled its black hood down, revealing a hideous, white, snake-like face with slits for nostrils and flashing red eyes.

He felt paralyzed. Why wasn’t Sirius doing anything!?

“What did you say?” the snake-man hissed.

Remus faltered, opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water as the man and his consort surrounded them.

“I…I…”

There was a flash of blindingly white light and the entire group flew backwards by several feet, hitting the ground hard.

The feral droid was struck, too; it sparked fire, let out a robotic yelp and flew down the road at lightening speed.

“What the—" Remus turned around to see the _child_ , peering out of Sirius’ backpack, his tiny hands held in the air as electricity crackled between them.

“Holy shit!” he hissed as Sirius grabbed his arm and backed them towards the elevator, tugging him inside right before the doors slammed shut. They stood silently next to each other, panting and wide-eyed.

“He saved our lives again,” Remus breathed, glancing sideways at the pack. The _child_ had already ducked back inside it.

“I could have taken them,” Sirius muttered.

“Right.”

“I _could_ have.”

“Well, I didn’t see you _trying_ ,” Remus snipped.

“I was waiting for the right moment.”

“Before or after they ripped us to shreds?”

Sirius exhaled loudly and grabbed hold of his hand.

“The point is…we survived.”

“You’re an ass,” Remus breathed.

“But I’m all _yours_ ,” the man replied sappily, staring straight ahead, a smug grin sliding up his face.

Remus opened his mouth to reply but couldn’t.

All he could do was purse his lips and try not to smile.

***


	13. A Growing Desperation

***

~S~

Sirius was amazed everything had gone off without a hitch. Well, _almost_.

Thank the gods for the _child_.

He didn’t know what had come over him or why his reflexes had been so slow. Maybe it was because of whatever he’d inhaled in Pollux’s room…it must have impaired his fighting abilities. Because the _old_ Sirius would have swiftly taken out the entire group of assailants with a single blast…without even breaking a sweat.

But his mind wasn’t even on that sort of thing any more. The ingrained impulse to kill seemed to have completely vanished from him…the moment he’d met the _boy_.

“Oh, thank Merlin! Sunlight!” Remus exclaimed as soon as they stepped out onto the upper streets of Coruscant. “I never thought I’d be relieved to be back _here_ again!” he said dramatically, throwing his hands to the sky.

Sirius shook his head and grabbed him by the arm, pulling him through the crowds.

They finally had a plan. Now, all they needed to do was lie low and wait to be contacted.

He hated having his fate resting in anyone’s hands but his own…But he was out of options. Out of brain power. He needed a second party to do the dirty work.

He and Pollux had been comrades in arms together. They’d trained as stormtroopers and ended up in the same regiment, but in the end, the man had defected…preferring the anonymity of underworld trading over defending two-faced politicians. Sirius couldn't really blame him. He'd helped him escape and even kept his secret, as long as the man remembered that he _owed_ him dearly.

The mans' real name was Lucius. Lucius Malfoy. Pollux was just his handle. He'd always shown more than a friendly interest in Sirius and Sirius had always been utterly repulsed by it, though he tried hard not to let it show—it was best to stay on Lucius’ good side.

Clearly, über powerful with long blonde hair and blatant sex appeal was _not_ his type—he watched as Remus tripped over his own two feet while gaping up at a flashing hologram—and gangly, clumsy, copper-haired and irresistibly-innocent _was_.

~~~

“I’ve gotta wash the grime off,” Remus groaned, tugging his boots off as soon as they’d entered their hotel room.

Sirius sat the _child_ down on the bed and glanced up at him, a smirk sliding up his face. “I could use a shower, too. Get the stench of Pollux off me.”

Remus huffed loudly, walking towards him and simultaneously pulling his tunic off and over his head. “Yes, I’d like that, too. He was revolting.”

“Jealous, are we?”

“No! Well,…maybe…” the boy pouted, pushing out his bottom lip. “You do know he was like _majorly_ flirting with you?”

“Was he?” Sirius said airily, feigning innocence. He walked closer and clutched him by the hips, pressing his thumbs into the bones.

Remus blushed and averted his eyes. “I wanted to punch the bastard in the face…and rip out his fucking blonde hair.”

Sirius barked out a laugh and tugged him closer, their bodies gently colliding. “I would have liked to have seen that.”

Remus looked up at him, his amber eyes sparkling. “Well, if we see him again, you just might.”

Sirius smirked and leaned in towards his mouth, just a breath away. “Good,” he breathed, sliding his hands lightly up the boy’s bare, quivering abs, over his pecs, and gripping onto his neck as he leaned his face down closer. Remus grunted softly as their lips collided and clutched the front of his uniform, making his heart beat faster.

Sirius drug his hands back down the boy’s skin and deftly unzipped his fly, caressing the soft hair of his lower belly with his fingertips. Remus groaned and gripped his bottom with both hands, squeezing hard and pulling up into him.

And Sirius nearly lost it.

He felt his body ignite.

That warm, wet mouth…those goddamn hands! Never asking, always taking. Liberally touching him in places no one ever had.

He felt overwhelmed, and yet still, it wasn’t enough.

“Shower,” he panted between sloppy, burning kisses.

Remus grunted and they nearly tripped, trying to walk backwards and continue kissing at the same time, but he wasn’t about to stop.

They quickly stripped off their clothes and tossed them aside and Remus walked into the glass, tube-shaped stall and turned on the water—it shot out from all sides as well as from above—and then he grabbed Sirius by the wrist and tugged him inside.

The water felt amazing but that wasn’t what Sirius was focused on.

He growled and pushed Remus up against the glass, sliding against his naked body as the water cascaded over them. He strained into him, licking inside his mouth and squeezing the sides of his shoulders, surely leaving bruises. Remus groaned like some kind of animal and reached his hands around his hips, clasping onto his bare bottom, needing the flesh with his agile fingers, spreading him apart and getting dangerously close to his—

Sirius convulsed, nearly losing it yet again, his body shivering from the pleasurable sensation. He grabbed hold of Remus’ wrists and jerked his arms above his head, pressing them into the glass as he rubbed against him, kissing him with a desperation he didn’t know he had.

“Maybe I should get _jealous_ …more often,” Remus panted by his ear.

“Maybe,” Sirius grunted between heavy breaths. The tube was completely opaque now, filled with steam from the water and their heated bodies.

Sirius slid his hands down over slick skin and gripped onto Remus’ hips, spinning him around so he could have his back.

Remus hissed and splayed his hands out, pressing them against the glass and bending over slightly as Sirius tilted his hips up.

Sirius drug his eyes up and down the boy’s taut body, his heart racing. He’d been desperate to be inside him ever since Endor. He couldn’t get it out of his mind, desperate to know what it would feel like.

He slid one finger down Remus’ curved spine, relishing the way he instantly stilled and then shivered, clenching his perfect ass cheeks and letting out a feral grunt.

Sirius couldn’t stand it any longer. He spread him open, gripped his own cock and slowly started to slide inside him, simultaneously reaching his other arm around Remus’ waist and gripping onto his already swollen cock.

“Fuck!” the boy yelped, pressing his forehead against the glass and quivering.

Sirius concentrated, wanting desperately to get it right, and then slowly started building his momentum. A fire coiled in his lower belly as he watched his own dick slide rhythmically in and out of the boy with each thrust. It was mesmerizing...hands down the fucking _hottest_ thing he’d ever seen.

_Holy fucking shit._

The pressure was reaching a crescendo—a wonderfully painful ache that had been slowly building ever since he’d noticed Remus’ blatant jealously over him in the pub. It’d made his blood catch fire; all he'd wanted to do was pound into him again and again. 

Wreck him with _gratitude_.

He wanted to laugh at the thought. It was so unlike him.

“Christ!” Remus belted, pounding the glass with his clenched fists as Sirius began to thrust harder and faster.

Sirius smirked and slammed into him with more confidence, still gripping his cock and squeezing the life out of it. He kissed the back of his wet neck and nipped at the skin with his teeth, feeling some kind of primal urge overtake him.

He felt almost…feral.

Was he going to start _howling_ next?

Bizarrely, he almost felt like it.

“I wanted to fuck you from the first moment I saw you,” he hissed by the boy’s ear, his voice deep and strained.

Remus made a low, guttural sound and pounded against the glass again, his whole body clenching.

“I wanted to fuck you in that fucking Ewok hut…”

The boy whined.

“In the meadow, in the middle of all those goddamn flowers…”

He slammed against him, their wet skin making a slapping noise.

“At the bonfire, right in front of everyone…”

Remus simpered, burying his face into his arm. 

“Basically, every… _goddamn_ …moment we were together…” Sirius growled by his ear. “It was _all_ …I could _think_ …about.”

Remus gasped.

“I wanted to know…what it _felt_ like.”

He pulled out slowly, “I _HAD_ to know,” then rammed into him one last time, grunting loudly as he gripped onto Remus’ slippery chest.

“URGH!” Remus noised, his entire body clenching around him. 

Sirius’ cock quivered and then filled the boy with everything he had. He could feel Remus’ warm, creamy cum spilling over his hand as he continued to pump him slow and hard, determined to empty the boy.

And then he collapsed against his back, gasping for air and seeing stars.

“Holy… _shit_ …” Remus panted.

Sirius had no words.

No air.

No anything except warmth.

Warmth in his heart.

Warmth in his cock.

And a growing _desperation_.

A fear that somehow all of this would be taken away.

Snatched from him.

Stolen before he could fully appreciate it, fully understand it.

Like there was a clock ticking on his happiness and any minute it could be stopped.

They stayed like that for a moment, the water cascading down their backs, their bodies pressed together, until finally Sirius gained enough air to function; he turned Remus around and pulled him into his arms, quickly and desperately finding his mouth and kissing him with everything he had.

The boy pulled back well before he was done with him and stared up at him, his eyes half closed. “You’re something else,” he murmured, water spilling over his parted lips and down his chin.

Sirius looked from his mouth to the endearing strip of freckles scattered across his nose, and back to his mouth again, his heart aching. 

“I only aim to please,” he replied, cupping his face with one hand and running his thumb over his cheekbone, wishing he could say so much more.

“Well, you certainly did that.”

Sirius smiled appreciatively and ran his fingers through the boy’s wet hair, brushing it back and out of his eyes. He studied him for a moment. “I like your hair back. It’s fucking hot.”

Remus barked out a laugh and squeezed onto his biceps.

“I’m serious.”

“I _know_ you are.”

They stared at each other for a beat and then started chuckling.

Remus turned the water off and softly pecked his lips, making his heart race again and his lower belly clench. 

_It’s not enough,_ he thought, wanting to grab him and start all over again.

“C’mon, we need to eat something,” Remus said sleepily, opening the door, the steam billowing out and filling the room.

Sirius felt hungry, but not for _food_. He bit down on his bottom lip and watched the boy towel dry himself off.

And then his stomach growled loudly—okay, maybe he was _also_ hungry for food.

“I’m sure the _child_ is hungry, too,” Remus said, wrapping the plush grey towel around his waist and fastening it.

“He’s _always_ hungry,” Sirius sighed, absently rubbing a towel through his hair.

“True. And we seriously need to go shopping for some new clothes. If they’d even have something like that here…”

“I’m sure we could find _something_ ,” Sirius purred in a low voice, sauntering towards him. He slipped his arms around his waist, sliding his hands down to his backside and grabbing a handful of his ass, squeezing hard. Remus yelped and smacked him on the shoulder.

“Save it for after.”

“After? After when?”

“After we eat and feed the _child_.”

Sirius huffed dramatically. He kissed him on the temple and then languidly down the side of his neck, relishing the way Remus leaned into him, his entire body immediately wilting and giving in.

“So you really wanted to do me right off the bat?” Remus asked breathlessly, already sounding drunk on sunberry wine.

“Yes,” Sirius whispered by his ear, gently biting the shell between his teeth and tugging.

Remus squirmed against him and started to grin.

But what Sirius couldn’t tell him was that the first time he saw him was _not_ in fact on Endor…but on the _Solar Fire_. He’d wanted him then, too, and it scared the hell out of him...

The first moment he saw him, he felt something he’d never felt before.

Something that made him question everything—what he was doing with his life, who he’d become, what he wanted…where he was going. Suddenly, some part of him was willing to throw everything away that he’d built just to see him again. It didn’t make any sense at the time, but there it was.

And now _here_ he was...

With the boy in his arms and his heart in the boy’s.

***

~R~

Remus smiled as he watched the _child_ devour the last fried dumpling, thinking he certainly had an appetite bigger than his small size.

“That swamp rat is gonna eat us out of house and home,” Sirius drawled, laying stretched out on the bed, resting his head on his arm like some kind of irresistible lothario. 

“Swamp rat?”

“Yeah, it suits him.”

Remus snorted and wiped the _child’s_ mouth carefully with a napkin. “I’d like a _house and home_ ,” he sighed wistfully.

“We’ll have one.”

“And then what?” He picked the creature up and sat him down on the bed.

“And then…we just live.”

Remus rested his knee on the edge of the bed and stared at Sirius for a long moment, trying desperately to read him; the man stared back, his face indecipherable. Finally, Remus crawled towards him and sunk into the duvet, resting his head atop his chest. “I hope it’s that easy,” he sighed.

“Nothing is ever _easy_ …but we’ll be together…and safe…and that’s what’s most important,” Sirius said sleepily, pulling him closer and wrapping his arm snugly around his back.

“True…that’s all that really matters,” he murmured, feeling exhaustion and a full stomach begin to pull him under.

~~~

Remus felt he’d only just shut his eyes when there was a loud knock on the door.

They both flinched, including the _child,_ who was still lying at the foot of the bed.

“Housekeeping?” Remus asked, propping himself up on Sirius’ chest.

“Mmm, doubtful. It’s usually a droid and they come when you’re out.”

Another knock, and this time louder.

Remus’ blood ran cold. He felt Sirius stiffen underneath him. “I’ll get my pistol just in case,” the man groaned, starting to roll off the bed.

Suddenly, the door blew in and skidded across the floor, crashing into the sofa with a loud bang, bits of wood and metal scattering in the air.

Stormtroopers flooded the room, blasters raised, surrounding them in a half-moon formation.

Remus was paralyzed.

“What’s going on?” Sirius barked, jumping up.

“You’re coming with us,” a masked stormtrooper stated.

“Why?” Sirius demanded, standing taller.

Remus couldn’t believe how bold the man was being, and with no less than ten _blasters_ pointed at his face.

“The Emperor is eager to see you. _Both_ of you.”

Sirius whipped his head around to look at him, his blue eyes full of horror, but the rest of his face was impassive.

Remus stared back in shock.

“Let’s move,” a soldier barked, motioning with his gun.

Remus quickly rolled off the bed and tugged on his boots, immediately looking to the _child_. The poor creature sat helplessly on the bed, blinking its black eyes. He wondered why it wasn’t using its powers to save them at a time like this. He scooped him up in his arms and was herded out of the room behind Sirius, his mind reeling and his body shaking uncontrollably; he squeezed the child to his chest and tried to breathe. 

Whatever Sirius had been running from had finally caught up with him.

But how?

The only person that knew their location was… _Pollux_. Had the man betrayed them? But Sirius was so sure of his compliance.

As soon as they were shoved into the elevator Remus quickly found Sirius’ hand, clasping on for dear life and squeezing tight. The man squeezed back, nearly crushing the bones, as he continued to stare straight ahead, his face still impassive but his nostrils flaring irregularly.

If _Sirius_ was afraid, then the situation was _definitely_ dire.

They exited the elevator and were escorted to a waiting shuttle outside.

***

~S~

Sirius’ worst nightmare was coming true.

How had they found him?

Had he been too careless?

He certainly hadn’t taken the same precautions he normally would have if his head had been screwed on straight. For one, he never would have gone to a planet like Coruscant...so populated and full of spies and rebels.

Maybe the Emperor had somehow tracked his ship…

But he’d purposely taken precautions to prevent that.

He suddenly remembered the scowl on Malfoy’s face when he’d noticed the boy by his side...watched their every move together with narrowed eyes…Was it possible he’d ratted them out due to jealously?

His blood boiled.

He would kill him…if he ever had the chance. If he survived what was coming…

He glanced sideways at Remus. He was sitting wide-eyed and frozen to his seat, clutching onto the _child_ like a security blanket.

How would he be able to protect him? With no weapon and surrounded by so many soldiers…If it were just him alone he could try and attack them, grab a gun and go to town, but that would be so risky now. He could accidentally shoot the boy or the _child_.

He’d have to wait for the right moment, when they were out of harm’s way…

_Protect him at all costs…protect him at all costs…_

The shuttle jerked to a halt and his heart along with it.

They had arrived at a massive hanger; the Emperor must be waiting inside or else they’d be shuttled to his starship, orbiting somewhere above Coruscant. 

At least Sirius knew the Emperor’s ship backwards to front…but getting ahold of a weapon would be the tricky part.

“Out,” a stormtrooper commanded, motioning with his blaster.

Sirius wondered if it was someone he knew…though what difference would it make? They had all sworn their allegiance to protect the Empire, just as he had. He never thought he’d be willing to break his oath or go against his training…never thought there’d be something _worth_ breaking it for.

He swallowed hard and climbed out, grazing Remus’ hands with his fingertips, hoping it was somehow reassuring.

They were marched into the hanger and his eyes flashed around wildly, landing on a small, black cargo-ship.

So they were going to be taken off-planet then.

They were forced inside and strapped in.

The _child_ let out a fearful noise from the boy's lap.

_If anything happens to the creature…_

The engines whirred to life and they were off.

***


	14. The Culmination

***

~R~

Remus couldn’t control the shake in his legs, or his entire _body_ for that matter. He bounced his feet uncontrollably and closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. Something metal was pressing against his calf. Was it his lightsaber? When had he put that in his boot? The last he’d seen it it was still in his satchel.

His heart raced.

Maybe he would actually get to use the thing. Might as well. At this point, things seemed pretty fucking bleak. Though, he _had_ survived the Emperor once before…maybe he’d get lucky again…Maybe he could talk his way out of whatever _this_ was. Though, he wasn’t sure he could say the same for Sirius. They were being held hostage because of something _he_ did.

He opened his eyes and looked straight forward. Sirius was staring right back at him, his blue eyes turned black and hard as flint. He was sitting as still as a statute except for the clenching and unclenching of his jaw and the slight flexing of his fingers at his sides.

Did he have a plan?

Remus sure hoped so because it seemed as if his luck had finally run out.

_But we aren’t dead yet…_

The ship docked and they were escorted off, each of them guarded by four stormtroopers.

Remus’ heart felt on the verge of explosion. His legs seemed to move of their own accord as they walked down dark hallways illuminated with eerie, red lights, filling him with the overwhelming sense of dread. 

The _child_ squirmed in his arms and he clutched onto him tighter, squeezing him into his chest.

They emerged out of the hallway and onto the massive, ominous red and black flight deck of the ship, where standing at the front windows with his back to them, was the Emperor, clad in his black uniform and long cloak.

Remus’ heart gave a jolt when he realized just how similar the uniform was to _Sirius_ ’.

“At last,” the man said, donning a menacing smile and turning around slowly. “I was starting to get worried about _you_.”

The Emperor was staring directly at Sirius.

Remus gaped, staring back and forth between the two.

Sirius stood taller, his flinty eyes staring the man down. “The target was proving more difficult than expected, Your Emperor.”

“Was it now?” the man crooned.

There was the slightest twitch in Sirius’ jaw and he nodded.

“Why, tell me then, is the _target_ still alive?”

Remus’ heart froze.

_The target?_

He looked at Sirius, his mouth hanging open, but the man continued to stare straight ahead as if in a trance.

“I think he will prove more valuable _alive_. He possesses important knowledge of the Republic. Knowledge that could be very useful to us. I suggest a full interrogation,” Sirius said, his stiff, lifeless voice almost unrecognizable. 

“I see,” the Emperor mused, tapping his white gnarled fingers together several times.

Remus' mind raced, trying desperately to process the information. 

Sirius… _worked_ for the Emperor?

_Am I the target?!_

The room went deafeningly silent for a moment.

“We will interrogate the boy and see if what you say is true…And we will conduct an interrogation on _you_ as well…Procedure, you know. You _have_ been off radar for quite some time now. We’ll need a full debriefing of your actions.” 

“I understand,” Sirius replied, stiffening and clenching his hands at his sides.

“Good…good,” the Emperor said, moving closer and reaching out a hand, gripping a strap on the breast of Sirius’ uniform. “I would hate to lose my best _assassin_ after all,” he crooned, turning to stare at Remus, a wicked smirk sliding up his pasty, white face.

Remus’ mouth fell open; his eyes couldn’t get any wider and his heart couldn’t get any more stabbed.

_Sirius, the Emperor’s assassin?_

But that would mean…

_He was sent to kill me…_

That’s why Sirius was on Endor in the first place. He must have been tracking him…That’s why he’d insisted they leave when the stormtroopers arrived…but then why hadn’t he killed him or even attempted to?

What had stopped him?

The guards grabbed them both roughly by the arms and shuffled them out of the room.

And Remus felt dead inside.

_Everything was a lie...  
_

If Sirius was an assassin it would explain why he was so comfortable in Coruscant's depraved underworld…and knew a despicable creature like Pollux to begin with. How he apparently knew his way around just about every planet in the galaxy…and spoke so many languages.   


They were standing back in the dark hallway again and Remus was suddenly pushed in one direction and Sirius the other.

Sirius turned back to look at him, a bone-chilling expression flashing across his wide eyes.

And then he was gone.

Remus’ heart pounded uncontrollably as an invisible grey door slid open and he was pushed into a small room. It was dark save for a light sitting on a metal table with two silver chairs on either side.

He had no idea what to expect of the interrogation. What information did he possess that they could possibly want?

Maybe Sirius had lied to stall.

Or maybe everything had been a lie and he’d been a complete fool to fall for him in the first place.

Of course a man like that wouldn’t actually _fancy_ someone like him.

It was all starting to make sense now…

Sirius simply wooed him to get him off planet and back in the hands of the Emperor.

Then why all the trouble with the hotel and seeing Pollux?…And everything they’d shared together on Endor? How was it possible that none of that was _real_? What they’d felt…what they’d done…

An excruciating pain lanced through his heart, nearly making him gasp out loud.

A guard roughly shoved him down in the chair and then tried to pry the _child_ from his arms.

Baby Yoda tried to bite the stormtrooper’s finger but he couldn’t penetrate the thick armor. Remus tugged back, holding him in a vice-grip.

“He stays…with _me_ …” he growled.

The guard eventually relented and moved to the other side of the table, and Remus was surprised he hadn’t tried harder.

 _Strange_.

He blinked his eyes, staring into the impassive, black and white mask of the stormtrooper and wondered what in the world he would ask him.

“How long have you known Sirius Black?”

“I…I only met him on Endor. Last week…”

“Why were you on Endor?”

“I was…”

He couldn’t even formulate a lie.

“I was afraid I’d upset the Emperor so I escaped there.”

“Why did you come to Coruscant?”

“Stormtroopers arrived on Endor and Sirius said we had to leave…that he was in some kind of trouble. I suggested Coruscant because it was the first place I thought of…and so we came.”

“What is this creature?” he asked, pointing at the _child_.

“I don’t know. He just appeared in my starfighter right before I arrived on Endor and he’s been with me ever since.”

The questions went on and on until Remus’ brain was mush. He didn’t see the relevance of half of them…What were they getting at?

The guard suddenly stood up and exited the room, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

He stared down at the _child_ who’d dozed off in his arms.

“Now would be a brilliant time for you to pull out some of your secret tricks, you know? Use the _Force_ and…do _something_. Anything. I don’t think they’re gonna let us out of here alive.”

The guard returned, though Remus wasn’t sure if it was the same one or not. Impossible to tell.

He was yanked from his chair and pulled out of the room, back down the hallway, and back to the flight deck.

The Emperor was once again waiting, his arms crossed over his chest, standing like a black demon wearing a sickening, triumphant smirk.

“I’m afraid your answers proved unsatisfactory and there is no point in keeping you alive. Whatever you know, you can take to your grave.”

Remus’ heart stopped and the _child_ squirmed in his arms.

“But I…what about Sirius?”

“He will be dealt with accordingly...Such a shame…he’s proved so useful to me over the years. Like a _loyal dog_.”

Remus seethed, feeling a bolt of heat shoot straight up his spine and inflame his cheeks. The man _was_ a demon. Surely Sirius hadn’t allied himself with the creature of his own free will.

“But all dogs must eventually be put out to pasture.”

_Sirius…a dog…Padfoot…Padfoot!_

He suddenly remembered he was dreaming, or at least he _hoped_ so…maybe there was still a chance—

“Guard,” the Emperor hissed. “Eliminate him.”

Remus froze when he felt the butt-end of a blaster pressed against the back of his skull, the cold metal snatching away his last bit of hope.

He closed his eyes and waited for death.

The gun fired, a loud, high-pitched noise slicing through the room.

Remus blinked his eyes open.

He stared at the Emperor, utterly confused, wondering how it was possible he could see the glass window right through the man's stomach, and beyond that, the stars…

And then the Emperor collapsed forward with a groan, blood spilling out of his mouth and onto the black floor.

It all happened so fast.

Remus whipped around to see the stormtrooper who’d been behind him single-handedly taking down every other guard in the room, moving faster than the speed of light.

“Sirius?!” he screeched, quickly ducking down as a red beam of light flew straight over his head.

“Get behind me!” the man growled.

Remus suddenly remembered the lightsaber in his boot and snatched it with one hand, whipping it out and pressing the button. The green light shot out by three feet and he stared at it in wonder.

“What the?!” he heard Sirius hiss, still blasting soldiers as more ran into the room.

“I knew you were a fucking Jedi!” he bellowed.

“I guess I am,” Remus muttered, swinging the saber around and accidentally, and very _luckily_ , blocking a blast that nearly hit him right in the chest.

He pressed his back against Sirius’ and they continued to fight and move in a clockwise circle. Remus had no idea what he was doing but his body seemed to.

“So was this all just some kind of plan? To woo me to Coruscant and then execute me?!” he shouted, still clutching the _child_ in one arm as he fought off blasts with the other.

“If I’d _wanted_ to kill you, I _would_ have!” the man huffed. “Duck!”

They both crouched down as a set of red blasts went right over their heads.

“I can’t believe you were the Emperor’s _assassin_! Or that you just killed him!”

“I was different before I met you,” Sirius grunted, spinning them around and still keeping their backs pressed together. “And I never liked him.”

Remus snorted and shook his head.

_So maybe he really does love me…_

It was like they were doing some kind of choreographed dance, but moving so fast it was as if they were going in slow motion. He wondered if the guards would ever stop flooding the room and if they were ever going to get out alive.

A new wave of soldiers appeared in the doorway and Sirius ran forward, sliding across the floor like he was making for home base, shooting them down one by one. He jumped up and lunged for a glowing red button on the side of the wall, quickly smashing it in and typing something into a keypad.

The doors slid shut.

“I’ve got the override lock on…they won’t be able to get inside,” the man panted, yanking his helmet off, “but we won’t be able to get out…I’ll fly the ship to somewhere we can—"

***

~S~

“Remus?”

The boy was staring at him with a wide-eyed, blank expression, his face pale.

_Too pale._

And then he collapsed backwards at an odd angle just as the _child_ crawled out of his arms and onto the floor.

“Remus?!”

Sirius rushed towards him, slipping on something wet and sliding forward on hands and knees. He glanced down at his white armor—it was smeared with red.

He’d slipped in a pool of blood.

“Remus!”

He grabbed the boy by the shoulders and cradled him in his arms, staining his uniform crimson.

And that’s when he saw it.

Half of Remus’ side was missing. Blood was gushing onto the floor and pooling around them.

He gaped, his stomach twisting.

“We can fix this—" he choked out, yanking his gloves off, his fingers getting smeared with blood as he tried to hang onto him.

_Why is he bleeding?! Why didn’t the blast cauterize the wound?!_

Remus’ eyes fluttered shut and his lips parted. “It’s okay…” he said, his breathing shallow.

“No! It’s not okay…You can’t—NO!” Sirius screamed, his eyes flashing around frantically for something… _anything_ to make things better.

“I’m not LOSING you!” he wailed as hot tears began streaming down his cheeks. He clutched the boy by the neck, pressing their foreheads together.

But he could _feel_ it. The illusive ticking was slowing down...the clock was running out.

“Don’t leave me,” he sobbed. “Please… _please_ …don’t leave me…I _love_ you…You’re the only thing I want…”

Remus trembled in his arms, bright blood running down and over his parted lips. He reached his hand up and laid it atop Sirius’.

“NO! You can’t! It’s not supposed to end like this! We’re supposed to _live_! Just…live…”

“It’s okay, Padfoot…it’s okay…” the boy breathed, “it’s just a dream…” and then his body stiffened and went completely limp, his expression all at once blank and empty. Hollow.

_Padfoot?….Padfoot…Where have I heard that? What does that mean?!_

“REMUS! WAKE UP!” he screamed, shaking him violently.

A vision flashed before his eyes.

The boy in the darkness, a scar across his face…naked and in his arms…" _I’ll be okay, Padfoot…I just need to rest. I’ll be fine…I always am.”_

The memory faded and Sirius blinked his eyes, everything he thought he knew crumbling around him.

“Moony?” he gasped, looking down at the boy in his arms like it was the very first time he’d seen him.

“Moony?! I remember! I _REMEMBER_!”

But the boy didn’t stir.

“MOONY!” he screamed, clutching him to his chest and curling over his body.

And everything began to blur and fade away.

***


	15. Our Truest Life

***

~S~

“MOONY!” Sirius screamed, jolting straight up in his bed.

It felt as if he’d just been electrocuted, every cell in his body exploding.

He blinked his eyes rapidly, looking around.

He was back in his bed.

His _Gryffindor_ bed…surrounded by crimson curtains on all sides.

He looked up. There was the familiar canopy.

He looked to the side. There was Remus—his eyes wide as saucers and his face ashen.

“MOONY!” Sirius bellowed, flinging himself on top of him.

The boy was warm, breathing…ALIVE.

“Oh my god…oh my god,” Sirius panted as he dug his fingers into his flesh and covered his face with teary kisses.

“I’m here,” Remus breathed, slowly wrapping his arms around his back; they were trembling.

Sirius found his mouth and kissed him with every fiber of his being. “I thought I’d lost you,” he wailed, his body shaking uncontrollably.

“I thought so, too…for a moment,” Remus breathed, dragging his hands up to his face and clasping it between warm palms.

Sirius closed his eyes and held still for a moment, absorbing his touch, then leaned his face down into Remus’ neck, reveling in his familiar scent and finding his throbbing pulse with his lips, each beat like a precious gift; he kissed it reverently and then licked it; sucked on it; thanking everything in the whole goddamn universe that the boy’s heart was still pumping.

“What _was_ that?” Sirius murmured, deeply inhaling him and burying his nose in his sweat-drenched hair.

“A dream…”

“But…how…I mean—"

“I don’t know…” Remus faded off, absently running his fingers through his hair.

“But we _shared_ it. Has that ever happened to you before?”

“No…”

“Why aren’t you more _upset_ about this?” Sirius hissed, propping himself up on Remus’ chest and staring down at him.

“I’m just…in shock.”

“Well, I just watched you fucking die in my _fucking arms!_ ” he screeched as another wave of emotion washed over him, pouring out of his eyes.

Remus gently and calmly wiped the tears from his cheeks with his fingertips. “I’m sorry…I…didn’t mean to get shot…I—” his voice quavered.

“ _God_ , I know you didn’t,” Sirius huffed, quickly laying back on top of him and repeatedly kissing up and down his neck between sniffles.

“How did we wake up?” Remus murmured.

“You said my name.”

“Sirius?”

“No, _Padfoot_.”

“Oh.”

“As soon as I heard it I had this vision of us…of the time you had that _accident_ …When we were under the Whomping Willow and I was holding you.”

Remus sighed heavily and ran his hands up and down his bare back. “Thank _merlin_ it was just a dream…” he murmured, his eyes wide. “That was scary as hell.”

Sirius pulled back and stared down at him, his heart racing.

“What? Finding out you were actually banging a stormtrooper-assassin?”

He was desperate to dissipate the fear still pumping through his veins.

“No, almost being _killed_ by one, you wanker…”

“I was never _actually_ going to kill you.”

“Why not?” Remus asked, propping himself up on his elbows.

“I…I just couldn’t pull that trigger…I had a million opportunities…but I just couldn’t do it. As soon as I saw you…back on the Solar Fire, I knew.”

“The Solar Fire? That was _you_ with the Emperor?! With the yellow badge-thing? I _knew_ there was something different about you!”

“Yes,” Sirius said sheepishly, feeling his neck grow hot. "And it's called a _pauldron._ "

“And what did you _know_?"

Sirius bit down on his lip and flicked his eyes to his heaving chest.

“That I loved you.”

Remus’ mouth fell open, his chin grazing his own chest, and then he started grinning widely. “So even in your dreams…I mean _our_ dreams…you still _love_ me?”

“Of course,” Sirius replied, narrowing his eyes and leaning forward as he straddled him. He gently cupped his face between his palms, more thrilled than he could ever explain that his skin was _warm_.

Remus automatically closed his eyes and exhaled.

“In any galaxy…in any universe…I’d still _love_ you.”

Remus’ eyes fluttered open, glistening with a watery fire.

“I’d still love you, too,” he breathed.

They stared at each other for a beat, something entirely new unfolding between them.

And then Sirius lunged towards him, pressing him back into the bed and hovering over him, clenching his hips between his thighs like a vice as he drew in a ragged inhale. He carefully smoothed Remus’ sweaty hair back off his face and placed a lingering kiss on his forehead, feeling like his heart was literally melting out of his chest.

There were no words to express the emotions coursing through his body.

_It was just a dream…just a dream…Moony’s okay. He’s alive…he’s not dead…It was just a dream…_

He leaned his face down closer and closer, feeling like any distance between them was an entire galaxy.

Simply too much space to bear.

And then Moony’s soft, familiar lips were pressing into his own and he suddenly felt electrified.

_Starved._

Sirius kissed him back feverishly, straining for his mouth, his tongue, his very breath, with every cell in his body and it still wasn’t close to being _enough_.

What if he really _had_ killed him? What then?

How could he have gone on in _any_ galaxy without him?

He wouldn’t have wanted to.

Being without Moony was simply _inconceivable_.

He clutched him tighter, dragging his trembling hands up Remus’ chest, his fingers fumbling as he undid the buttons of his night shirt and tugged it off him.

He needed to feel his skin. Taste his sweat. Know for certain that this was _real_.

Remus stared up at him, deep sadness and worry flashing across his amber eyes. “What about the _child_?”

“I’m sure he’ll be fine. He can handle himself. He proved that in the swamps.”

“True,” Remus snorted. “I’m gonna miss the little guy, though. He really grew on me.”

“Yeah, me too,” Sirius sighed. “Even if he was a bull-headed swamp rat.”

Remus started to grin and ran his warm hands slowly up his bare abs, over his pecs, and up to his neck, clasping on and tugging him down until their lips were just inches apart. “I guess this will teach us not to eat so many _pumpkin pasties_ before going to bed…” he murmured. 

“Or watch a marathon of _Star Wars_ …” Sirius breathed, before pressing down into his lips with a shudder.

“That, too,” Remus mumbled between slow, desperate kisses. “That, too.”

***

~T H EE N D~

***

_**~Thank you so much for reading! I love these boys with all my heart!~** _

***

**Find the moodboard for this story here:**

[ **"In Any Galaxy" Moodboard** ](https://milesofblue.tumblr.com/private/614235168463618048/tumblr_PtrUl5GI2VJWP9pJB)

*******

**Song that I feel captures the essence of this story:**

**"Breathe" by Mako**

_Because while this story seems to focus mainly on Remus and his dream-journey and the bravery and newfound freedom he acquires, the real character growth takes place with Sirius and his radical undoing; how he finds a love worth taking off his mask for. A love to live for and one to die for. Remus singlehandedly steals away his breath and his heart._

*******

This story was truly a _labor of love_ but it was also a joy to write and took me back to my childhood! I discovered that there are two little known Ewok movies called "The Ewok Adventure" and "Ewoks: The Battle for Endor" that I grew up watching and completely forgot about! I thought I was crazy for having all these Ewok memories yet could never find them in the actual Star Wars movies. This story is a loving tribute to those memories!

~~~

_This fic is dedicated to the version of "me" that ever felt scared or ashamed to fully express myself and write loving, passionate, graphic sex scenes. Stay brave and keep writing what's in your heart! I love you and am so damn proud of you!_

~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Chapter title based on the quote by Thoreau: "Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake."
> 
> ~I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments! They mean the world!
> 
> ~Find me on Tumblr at "milesofblue" and check my profile on here regularly to see what I'm working on!


End file.
